Just a question about Pet Scans...Mike gets full bone scans, chest CTs and Liver MRTs about every 2 months. He has never had a PET scan. I know I should ask the doc about this, (and I will) but just wondering if this is normal, or have most of you (or your loved one) had a PET scan?
hey, Marg,
Great question!
The answer is surprising - SCLC doesn't light up on PET-scans! It does, however, show itself in X-rays, MRIs and CAT-scans. I think it has something to do with the way it eats glucose differently than other cancers.
I hope you and Mike are doing well today!
hugs
Pat
Well I have SCLC and have had 2 this year with another scheduled for the end of this month. Are thy wasting my money?
I might add that mine was Limited and I am younger that most patients and he has said many times that he wanted to pursue it aggressively.
I have Limited SCLC and have had 2 PET's - the first when I was diagnosed in May 2007 and the other in March 2008, about 10 months later.
I have never had a Pet Scan in four years - only CT Scans and X-rays, bone scan, brain scan
The two oncologists I've seen have different opinions about the value of PET scans. One likes CT scans better.
Gretchen
I would be interested in the source of Pat's information, because I've seen my wife's PET scan, and the tumours lit up pretty well. This was done early in in the search for a diagnosis by a haematologist. My understanding is that it is of limited value in the management in extensive disease. The information can be obtained more easily/cheaply with MRI/CT scans. PET may be helpful in early classification of stage.
More importantly for the USA is that it isn't covered by Medicare for SCLC, only NSCLC. Don't know the situation in Canada. Pat's information might be the explanation for why PET is not covered by Medicare in SCLC.
Sounds like Mike's disease is being pretty aggressively monitored anyway. I wish him all the best.
David
My doctors don't like PET either. I have had some false positives so that might be why.
I had a pet scan which did light up my tumor and nodes. I have limited sc. They did this when I was diagnosed for staging purposes. I'm currently in chemo so I haven't been retested. Hope this helps.
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