IS THIS PANCREATIC CANCER???

citychick29 · New User Joined: 29 Apr 2007 Posts: 7

Hi everyone! i could really use some advice. Last year my 83 yr. old grandmother was diagnosed with endometrial cancer. She had a complete radical hysterectomy. Lymph nodes/washings were negative for met. Stage 1b. No radiation needed. She has been followed up by her gyn and so far so good. Her gyn ordered a Ct scan 1 week ago to just follow up, since it had been a year since surgery. I get a phone call Monday..Ct scan not clear. I was told..thickening of the colon. She needs a PET. Go on Wed. for PET. call dr's office on thursday looking to talk to dr. never calls back. Friday am, Medical Assistant calls telling me that the results aren't back yet. Dr. didn't call back cause he was having a bad day!!!

Sorry this is a bit long. Anyway she proceeds to tell me that grandma needs a PET scan. Hello?? She just had it 2 days ago. Then she proceeds to tell me pancreatic cancer!..without even knowing, ! WOW , what a blow. I told her what the hell was she talking about no one metnioned that to me when they called. She didn't even have the results in front of her! So i proceeded to go back and forth with her over the CT scan report, which i had right in front of me...It states.......

"Stable degree of scarring w/in left base, No new air space disease or plueral effusion is seen. The liver is uniform in density. The pancreas is very fatty and there is within the peripancreatic area, an ill defined lobulated 1.3 cm density. There is another smaller density in the peripancreati head area. THis appears unchanged."

There is suspected milD thickening of colon partic. transverse segment. There is in addition, slight infiltration of the adjacent fat which may be relate to mild degree of colitis in appro. clinical context. Peritoneal carcinomatosis appears less likely and a PET may be of use in excluding distance metasasis. There is no acites. The urinary bladder is unremarkable. There is no bulke adenopathy.

Impression; mild colonic wall thickening, particulary transverse segmetn w'suspicion of infiltration of adjacent mesenteric fat. If acute, it could be changes of colitis. Peritoneal carcinomatosis could not be entirely excluded and a pe scan is suggested as next follow up.

impression; small nodularities surronding a very fatty pancreas. This other are acan also be further defined with a PET.

impression:OTherwise stable and negtive CT scan of abdomen an pelvis

I took these Ct scans to the dr's office where i work. Gave it to a PA and one of the smartest doctor's in the office. Both didn't seem to think it was a particulary bad report. Both agreed that they didn't seem to think pancratic cancer, as the report wasn't too specific in that regards. The dr. said he wouldn' thave gotten overly worried, he would have sent her to a GI dr.

Well..im freaking out over what that medical assistant said. I trust the DR i work for and the PA, but i keep looking stuff upon the internet and it is driving my crazy. I can barely sleep, eat, im crying, freaking out!

BTW..grandma is doing great. Had her bloodwork done 2 weeks ago. Everything normal, except her glucose was a little bit high (diabetic). She has been measuring w'in the last couple of days, it has gone back down to w/in normal limits. No symptoms whatsoever! I'm planning to go to PA school nextyear, so i have been monitoring her very carefully. Only intentional weight loss, b/c she has been lossing weight since her surgery on purpose!

HELP!!! I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO. AND WAITING IS KILLING ME!

kmeshelper · Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 11:37 am Post subject: is this PC

Dear CityChick,

First of all take a deep breath and gather yourself together. She's your grandma and you obviously care very deeply about her. Is she as concerned as you are? Is she clear of mind in spite of her age? Let us presume she is.

As I have posted before, there is a blood test that is routinely done for diagnosing and following PC. It is a check for the CN19-9 marker. Everyone's got one and "normal" is usually somethere between 34 and 37. Has she had this test? If she is as concerned about this as you are, she should request this test. It is simple and usually covered by insurance.

In the meantime, you and she might discuss how well her medical team meets her needs. There are great doctors out there and there is no reason not to seek them out. Not every doctor works well with every patient. Your grandmother needs to find the best match for her.

Best wishes to you and your grand,
Kmeshelper
_________________
stage 4 unresectible pancreatic diagnosed
2/23/06 at age 44
Gemzar/Tarceva til 4/24/07

citychick29 · New User Joined: 29 Apr 2007 Posts: 7

Thank you for your reply!

I am trying to be calm. To answer your question, my grandmother is doing just wonderful. Worry about anything...nah, She isnt at all.

Im just upset cause i dont know what to take from theCT scan. I know i had 2 other practicioners read it for me, but i am still freaking out. I want those PET scan results. I know they have them, cause my mom called the imaging place and they said they were done, but it would be best to wait for the dr. to get the results before we get a copy. The dr. wasn't there, so i couldn't get an answer

Im a nervous wreck waiting for that phone call. im ready though. Grandma is as tough as they come. I will mention that blood test.

Grandma has never felt better!!!

rlee · Site Admin Joined: 15 Jan 2006 Posts: 245

citychick29,
I'm sorry to hear about this difficult situation. I concur with the previous post. Another suggestion would be to take her films both old and new for a 2nd opinion by another radiologist. As good as doctors are, it's difficult to get a 2nd opinion unless it's their area of expertise. For example, asking your gynecologist to read an ECG strip for a heart arrhythmia is not the best way even if they are really smart, ask a cardiologist to do this. In addition, additional imaging such as a PET scan or MRI could help clarify things. Work with your medical team just to be sure this is really nothing. Good luck.
_________________
RLee, MD

Any information provided is NOT intended to provide specific medical advice to users but rather to provide users with information to help them better understand their health condition and related care. All readers are strongly encouraged to consult with a qualified physician for answers to their personal medical questions.

citychick29 · New User Joined: 29 Apr 2007 Posts: 7

thanks for the replies..Talked to the dr. monday am, and told me results of Pet scan...colon and pancreas are fine. Everything came back ok..except for a hot spot in the cervical veterbra and hot spot in chest area..not lungs, but somewhere where the trachea meets up with the lungs, not sure what area that is...but anyways..had a bone scan, ct of chest and cancer tag blood work done on wed. now just waiting for the results. Another waiting game!!! enough to drive me insane. Im calling in the am to find out the results. I have been praying that all is ok. i freaked last week and i am trying to be calm now. grandma is doing great! So just waiting to hear. Keep looking stuff up, but without having the right terminolgy of what is on the report it is hard. Can you believe that the day before the bone scan, grandma fell, while reaching for a piece of soap on the shower floor. Her back was hurting for the day, but she felt great the next day. Im sure if she had any inflammation from that, it will come up on bone scan.

Ill be praying really hard tonight...god never lets me down! thank you all for the replies

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