Hi there,
Sorry I'm just now getting to this, I didn't see the post before. Yes I would be concerned personally, anyone with a history of cancer who has "new" nodules on CT imaging would cause me concern. Has she had any follow up appointments?
Thanks,
John
Actually yes, she just received her latest scan results which showed two addition nodules and a few other things we don't quite understand. We are going for a second opinion. I think the problem is that she has Medicare and instead of doing PET scans, like a few others said she should have, she's been having just CT scans. From what the oncologist explained- she has the worse and most aggressive form of melanoma. It was nodular, Bresthlow Depth exceeded 8mm, it was ulcerated, a "polypoid", high mitotic rate and at least a IV on the Clark Scale (whatever that means). She had it on her foot for well over three years but because it was flesh/skin colored, she believed it was a wart and then over time it grew and became infected so she had it checked. Both her primary doctor and the plastic surgeon who removed it for biopsy didn't believe it to be any skin cancer. They too thought it was an infection of some sort. Now she has had many back surgeries so she has had countless MRIs, X-rays, ct scans and nothing was ever detected on those. Now since the melanoma, all of these nodules are popping up everywhere. And her oncologist wants them to just keep an eye on them. He said that they're small nodules, when they reach a certain size- then he will become more concerned. Even with newer nodules appearing on each scan; as long as the previous nodules haven't grown he just wants to watch and wait. I've talked to a few friends and was told she should have PET scans because they are better able to detect small spreading cancers. I just don't think it's normal for new nodules to appear and nothing be done. So we are taking her for a second opinion and a PET scan. Just like the cancer on her foot (which slowly grew over three years until finally growing fast, that's what could be going on inside her body now. This latest scan picked up many gall stones, bowel loops, free fluid within pelvis, a new 4mm nodule on the anterior right acetabulum, a 3mm nodular thickening along right major fissure, tree in bud nodularity in the lower lobe, there is cholelithiasis, retroperitoneal nodule, additional sclerotic focus within the right inferior pubic ramus, cyst within right ovary and triangular soft tissue in the anterior mediastinum but could likely be residual thymus or thymic hyperplasia. Now to me, all of that is concerning given the type of melanoma she has. I'm not happy with the oncologists lack of precaution. A PET scan would help alleviate some of the concern. He just explains nothing to us at all.