Topic: Bone Mets Thread

Nov 28, 2021 11:23AM El_Tigre wrote:

HI everyone

I was just diagnosed with mets to the bone. I went in for a possible appendicitis and was sent to the ER where they CT scanned my tummy and found a cancerous looking mass in my ascending colon along with a few spine spots. FF a month it was mets to the bone and colon (rare) which required surgery.

I start my oral treatment next week after my ovary/tube removal. I am not signed up for any radiation yet, I understand it is done when there is a constant pain. I was surprised how many places the mets showed up in my bones, ONC put in for an xray to check my femurs for fractures. She doesn't expect to find anything but then again we didn't expect to have a mass in my colon.

I look forward to connecting to everyone here. I hope everyone has a relaxing/fun Sunday.

Tigre

Nov 28, 2021 02:23PM ParakeetsRule wrote:

Hello! Waiting on a PET scan Friday to confirm but it looks like I'm joining the bone mets and Ibrance party. Wheeeeeeeee....

Nov 29, 2021 02:19PM moth wrote:

El_Tigre, welcome & sorry you find yourself here.

Radiation isn't only given for pain, it can be given for local control and to reduce the disease burden. I had radiation to my T11 which was totally asymptomatic . But it was an oligoprogression and we wanted to stay on my systemic treatment so we whack-a-moled it with rads (did the same a month before with a small progression in the lung). Depending on how many and location of mets, some oncologists now recommend an aggressive approach with SBRT or regular radiation... it's an evolving field without tons of RCT results yet but it looks promising.

Dec 1, 2021 03:19PM - edited Dec 1, 2021 03:21PM by ParakeetsRule

I've heard a lot about radiation for bone mets but when I asked my oncologist, she said it would only be done if there were fractures or a lot of pain. I'm still waiting on the PET scan (Friday) to get the full picture, but is this something I should think about getting a second opinion on? The chest CT scan I had showed a suspicious area on one vertebra, but we have no idea what might be lurking above or below yet.

Dec 1, 2021 03:27PM moth wrote:

ParakeetsRule, I think a lot depends on how many mets you have & where. The fewer the mets, the more aggressively I've seen oncologists go after the mets with local treatments such as radiation, ablation or surgery. It's not a replacement for systemic therapy but an adjunct.

From your sig line it looks like you're newly diagnosed? I'd get all the info, see what your oncologist recommends & then maybe consider a second opinion. SInce you're young, and if you have oligometastatis, I'd want to at least consider aggressive local treatments...

Dec 2, 2021 04:16PM El_Tigre wrote:

Parakeets, we made a mistake in 2015 by not getting a second opinion so I support getting at least one more opinion on the treatment plan. It maybe the same treatment plan but you will feel better with that confirmation. I hope your PET scan goes smoothly on Friday.

Dec 4, 2021 07:46PM ParakeetsRule wrote:

I'm about to start Zometa next week. They told me it would be once a month for a year, and then every three months after that. But I'm being treated through the VA so insurance companies have no say over it.

Dec 5, 2021 07:08AM star2017 wrote:

Why do xgeva and zometa increase the likelihood of femur fractures? It's seems like such a counterintuitive side effect. Even my mo seemed surprised.

Dec 5, 2021 11:28AM El_Tigre wrote:

Same here I start Zometa on 12/28 every 3 months. Back in 2016 I was on it every 6 months for preventative (stage 3 back then). I only was cautioned about dental work that would involve the jaw bone.

Dec 5, 2021 06:35PM Iwrite wrote:

Bone strengtheners coat the bone and eliminate osteoblastic and osteoclastic activity that make it impossible for the bone to either retreat or grow new bone tissue. They stabilize the bone. I wrote more on the Ibrance thread about my recent tooth drama. There is a blood test your dentist or oral surgeon can order to see if the bones holding your teeth are likely to heal after a tooth extraction. Definitely worth asking about.

If bones are already fragile these drugs won’t improve them, but they do prevent the bones from getting any worse. They do stay in you system a long long time and that’s why we are encouraged to get invasive dental work done before we start taking them.

Dec 12, 2021 12:26PM - edited Dec 12, 2021 12:26PM by El_Tigre

Hi

I have a question, I had a bone scan and it showed uptake in my left upper arm. I had no pain at the time of the scan and now I do only days later. I first thought it was me, like mental, and then thought it was my lymphedema acting up (I have mild pain in that arm due to no nodes left), but it is getting worse and it hurts at a certain spot to the touch.

I am going in for an xray next tuesday and I assume it's the bone mets but does it really show itself in that way? pain to the touch in a certain spot. Might be a silly question but I am still learning.

thank you & have a great Sunday!

Tigre

Dec 13, 2021 03:01PM El_Tigre wrote:

Thank you moth!

Dec 13, 2021 05:16PM ParakeetsRule wrote:

Sunnidays, did they all match? I'm still not sure I have bone mets yet because my CT scan showed something, but the PET scan report said they didn't find anything. Is a bone scan the usual next step?

Dec 13, 2021 06:17PM gailmary wrote:

Isn't it maddening that all these expensive tests and they can't all work at the same level?

I was always told that the Pet scan was the best and frankly I'm surprised that once the first met is fou d that it is not automatic to check for more with the best test for the job. But our bodies have different kinds of tissue ( bones vs. Organs) and cancer can be elusive. Then there's the insurance factor and doctors knowledge and experience that varies. Grrrrr.

Just venting for you here.

Dec 13, 2021 06:37PM ParakeetsRule wrote:

Thanks everyone! My oncologist was planning to follow up on the PET scan to get more clarity, but it wouldn't change my current treatment plan either way. None of my bones are currently bothering me so that's good....in contrast to right after the CT scan that showed the T5 anomaly, when I was paranoid and convinced that EVERY bone was hurting. :)