EndoCa: need some info about CT/PET scans

Hi Janet
I can understand the fear. The truth of the matter is that these tests only pick up cancers at a certain size. A cancer has to be a certain size before a CT scan will pick anything up. A PET scan because it involves the metabolism of glucose, will pick up a cancer earlier, but even still, if PET scan could pick up microscopic cancers, they there would be no reason to do lymphadenectomies.
They could instead do a PET scan, and only remove lymph nodes if they "light up"Studies have shown that even a PET scan can miss some smaller positive lymph nodes
I am not telling you any of this to make you more paranoid, which I am sure it will, but I think you need to know that these tests are not the " be all end all" tests.
Another test that has been studied for cancer surveillance is the abdominal/pelvic ultrasound. It sounds like that is what they do in Japan, and they do them every 6 months, with less radiation.

Not sure if this is confusing....

Arunner, Thanks - that is good to know. Not confusing, makes perfect sense to me. You always give good advice!

Oh and I should add that an ultrasound is not going to pick something up as soon as a ct scan, not sure why I wrote that part in.

I totally understand your fears and I think if you are having lots of pain that no one can explain, why not get the CT? I'm sure you will rest a bit easier and not constantly go through the "what ifs." My cancer is also aggressive like yours and I plan to be very proactive in having them watch me closely. What can it truly hurt anyways?
I hope you find the answers you are looking for and find an explanation for the pain.

Anna
"" I plan to be very proactive in having them watch me closely. """
I like that line, I think that is the part that I am starting to wrap my head around, no one has quite the same interest in all of this as you.
I worry some times that I may seem paranoid to them, however I just realized I AM paranoid, so why not seem paranoid.
After all I am the one who has to live with the results.......