bone scan v. PET scan

Hello,
I am new to this site, so I appologize if I ask a question that has been
asked already. I have looked all over the internet.
My mother had breast cancer about 5 years ago. Stage 3. Since, she has been
doing great, but lately has been sick often. She has been in the hospital
with pneumonia twice in the last 6 months and has back and leg pain
continually. She had a bone scan that showed "moderate concern" for cancer
in ribs on the same side as the breast cancer. She hadn't been going back to
her oncologist due to insurance problems, but she went back and we were told
to have a PET scan. Her PET scan didn't show anything. I know that you are
not supposed to eat for so long or have any alcohol for so long before the
test. I am not sure if she understood the significance of this. Would that
have affected the outcome? I am excited that the PET was negative, but at
the same time, I am very worried. I appreciate any comments and thank you
for your help.
Joy

joycelyn wrote:

> Hello,
> I am new to this site, so I appologize if I ask a question that has been
> asked already. I have looked all over the internet.
> My mother had breast cancer about 5 years ago. Stage 3. Since, she has been
> doing great, but lately has been sick often. She has been in the hospital
> with pneumonia twice in the last 6 months and has back and leg pain
> continually. She had a bone scan that showed "moderate concern" for cancer
> in ribs on the same side as the breast cancer. She hadn't been going back to
> her oncologist due to insurance problems, but she went back and we were told
> to have a PET scan. Her PET scan didn't show anything. I know that you are
> not supposed to eat for so long or have any alcohol for so long before the
> test. I am not sure if she understood the significance of this. Would that
> have affected the outcome? I am excited that the PET was negative, but at
> the same time, I am very worried. I appreciate any comments and thank you
> for your help.
> Joy

Joy,
I'm not an expert. It's my understanding that with bone scan, it's sometimes
difficult to tell the difference between arthritis and bone mets. However, if it
was arthritis, more than the rib would have lit up on a bone scan. I think you'd
best post to alt.support.cancer.breast and tell them the type of breast cancer.
her age, the treatments she's had, ask your questions and get suggestions there.
Please.
At the mment the pneumonia may be the bigger threat to her life; if she has bone
pain, some radiotherapy would help that and maybe get her up and moving so she's
less prone to pneumonia.
There may be bloodwork, and/or scans that can (or should) be done that might show
if her cancer is spreading. please ask on alt.support.cancer breast.
I'll watch for your posts over there to see how things are going.
Best wishes,
J

Thank you so much for your reply. I was afraid no one would answer! I don't
get to check on the computer much, but I will follow your advice and go to
this site as soon as I am able.
Thank you again and have a great summer!!
Joy

J wrote:
>> Hello,
>> I am new to this site, so I appologize if I ask a question that has been
>[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>> for your help.
>> Joy
>
>Joy,
>I'm not an expert. It's my understanding that with bone scan, it's sometimes
>difficult to tell the difference between arthritis and bone mets. However, if it
>was arthritis, more than the rib would have lit up on a bone scan. I think you'd
>best post to alt.support.cancer.breast and tell them the type of breast cancer.
>her age, the treatments she's had, ask your questions and get suggestions there.
>Please.
>At the mment the pneumonia may be the bigger threat to her life; if she has bone
>pain, some radiotherapy would help that and maybe get her up and moving so she's
>less prone to pneumonia.
>There may be bloodwork, and/or scans that can (or should) be done that might show
>if her cancer is spreading. please ask on alt.support.cancer breast.
>I'll watch for your posts over there to see how things are going.
>Best wishes,
>J

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"joycelyn via MedKB.com" wrote:

> Thank you so much for your reply. I was afraid no one would answer! I don't
> get to check on the computer much, but I will follow your advice and go to
> this site as soon as I am able.
> Thank you again and have a great summer!!
> Joy
>

Hello Joy,
I don't see your post (yet) on the breast cancer newsgroup.
If it's easier, this is a different way to access it
http://www.talkaboutsupport.com/grou...cancer.breast/
Your mother sounds ill.
Relying solely on scans can be a fool's paradise.
Sometimes a consult (and physical and exam) with a doctor of internal medicine, can
sleuth out a problem. Something for you to think about for your mother.
Best wishes,
J