Bone Metastatisis

[chica]

What is the usual presentation of bone metastasis on a bone scan in a patient with no symptoms?  Does metastasis usually present as one lesion, or more than one lesion on the bone scan?

[VJune]

Hi this is the 1st time I have written and will write more as I find out more,my mother  aged 66 had breast cancer  diagnosed with 4 nodes involved surgery of partial mascemtomy to her Left breast treated chemo iv CMF in march 2000 completion of chemo and radiotherapy and now on Femara (mum has had 2 stents and History of heart attack 10 years prior hence possible IV CMF)
mum completed treatment in Dec 2000 Now jan 2002over the last couple of weeks  mum has been experiencing alot of pain in her left breast nearing her rib area and extending under her arm the pain appears to be constant and hurts to lift arm above head the breast has changed a little also and the skin has tightened in an area and the breast is very hard likely  scar tissue post radiation however she has had mammaogram this week and unconclusive  to pain and hardening due to not being able to see throught the scar tissue and both surgeon and Onc/haematologist are suggesting bone scan and biospy of breast again possibly thinking the cancer has spread to the bone ,my question is if the cancer has spread to the rib area and i Know that you need to know to what extent what are the likely treatments and what happens next? what does the cancer do from here and what are the survival benefits does bone mets spread quickly or slowly  and can treatment slow the progression of Disease?

[CCF-RN,MSN-rf]

Dear chica:  Bone metastasis can appear as a single lesion or as multiple lesions, depending on the situation.  It's/their appearance on a bone scan is that of a dark black spot on a grayish colored skeleton on a clear film.  Radiologists must distinguish between areas that darken due to degenerative disease (arthritis) and areas that appear metastatic.