cat scan results

[funinthesun]

I'm new to this site. I've had hep c now for about 25 years. My doctor is now telling me my blood work is showing cancer he sent me for a cat scan and the results show enlarged lymph nodes, but the liver is unremarkable, and calcified granulomas in the spleen . It also showed two tiny hypoattenuating right renal cortical lesions. I have not been to the doctors with the results in yet. I picked up a copy of my cat scan, to nervous to wait until my appt. on the 17th. Does anyone have a clue, as to what all this means?

[jerseygirl210]

I had a chest x-ray performed and there was a shadow on it, so I had a CAT scan performed and my doctor said there is a couple of swollen nodules (lymp nodes) that look suspicious,  He now recommends that I go for a needle biopsy to see exactly what is going on.  Does this sound like lung cancer?

[jmjm530]

You probably had a high Alpha-Fetoprotein (AFP) blood test.

While used for Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) screening purposes, your doctor cannot tell definitevley if you have cancer by this test alone.

I don't feel qualified to conclusively comment on the result of your Catscan, but things appear to be OK.

Like NYGirl said, make sure you bring both your blood results and scan report to a liver specialist (hepatologist) for proper analysis.

If your doc actually made a diagnosis on AFP alone then he may not be qualified to read the scan report.

-- Jim

[FlGuy]

Call your doc's office and freak out on them a little bit.  Tell them your concern, anxiety and convey your impatience in a unrgent way.  Tell them that you will not wait until the 17th.  Or, just park yourself in the office wating room with a picnic lunch of sardines and onions and tell them you'll wait.

[funinthesun]

Thank you that is what another doctor told me is that my GI should not of said cancer with just blood work but evidently there is something that shows up that tells them there may be cancer that is why he sent me for the cat scan, also they have told me that something in my blood work is very high I'm not sure what that is. I've had hep c type 1 for 25 years but have never needed to do any other test my doctors never put me on treatment because I'm bi polar and they are affraid of suicide

[funinthesun]

I don't know what hcc is but i do have hep c type 1 have had it for over 25 years the other was in my spleen not my kidney, this is the first time i've had trouble with having the hep c other then fatigue, joint pain, oh and nausea. Now for the first time i'm thinking about doing the treatment.

[HCA]

It's not HCC!
The liver is unremarkable.
It's a renal (kidney) issue.

[HCA]

I've looked these findings up.The enlarged lymph nodes and granulomas  are common and not suggestive of cancer.
The renal lesions (in one kidney) may be significant.Apparently the smaller the lesion the easier the resolution.Yours are apparently 'tiny'.They may also not be malignant.
I don't know what blood test is 'showing cancer'.
It seems a strange thing to tell a patient on a blood test alone.
Are you sure he didn't say he wanted a CAT scan just in case?
Naturally you are nervous but fom what I've read even the worst case scenario appears to be perfectly treatable.

[nygirl7]

Oh my God I am so sorry.  I don't know too much about HCC although I had a friend who suffered from it a few years ago.

The only thing I can possibly say is make sure you have a very good heptologist - someone who is completely up to date on all the latest informations having to do with HCC and it's treatments.  That will be the most important thing of all right now for you.

Best of luck to you.