Hi all. Hubby got the results of his 4 month pet scan following completion of his radiotherapy and chemo for base of tongue cancer and associated activity in a neighbouring lymph node. The good news is that the scan showed treatment has worked and both areas look clear. Unexpected news was that the scan is now showing slight activity in lymph node at other side of neck and also in one of his ribs at the back just under his shoulder blade again on the other side from his original tumour. They said at the time they have no idea if this new activity is cancer or not and they would arrange a further CT with biopsy for the rib and an ultrasound for the neck, but have since come back to say they will now only do the ultrasound on the neck as the activity on the rib is too small to biopsy (it looked bigger and brighter on the scan than that in his lymph node.) As you can imagine his head (and mine) are all over the place. We feel he is even worse than being back to square one as at least at his first diagnosis they said from the start that it was most probably cancer (even though he went into denial until it was confirmed by pet scan). The fact they are now saying they have never seen his type of cancer matastacise like this but have no idea what else it could be is really freaking us out and worrying both of us as they did say if it is bone cancer there will be no cure, just chemo to manage it for the remainder of his life. Has anyone else experienced anything similar or have any tips how to cope with his mental health until we know more? Thanks for reading xx
Hi Hazel. It's not so much the lymph node that's bothering him as he did have a sore on his gum from irritation from his new dentures that could explain that away. It's more the glow on the rib as there is no explanation for that at present. 
It's not so much the lymph node that's bothering him as he did have a sore on his gum from irritation from his new dentures that could explain that away. It's more the glow on the rib as there is no explanation for that at present.
Hi Jinty it’s not news you want but there may be a perfectly sensible explanation. If it’s too small to biopsy then you just have to wait and watch but I’m sure if you ask the oncologist you’ll get a better idea of what they mean. If that rib hotspot does indeed turn out to be cancer I’m sure leaving it alone is not a sensible option. I would search a second opinion. Bone mets can be treated with radiotherapy.
Having said that I had a hotspot on my PET ( but not at a distance from the original tumour) which turned out benign.
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
I wrote a blog about my cancer. just click on the link below
https://todaymycoffeetasteslikechristmasincostarica.com
