Melanoma mets to small intestine
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Melanoma mets to small intestine

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Melanoma mets to small intestine

  • Post
    • August 23, 2015 at 2:21 pm
    Randy437
    Participant

    Are CT scans as effective in finding mets in the small intestine as they are in any other area of the body?

Viewing 11 reply threads
  • Replies
      • August 23, 2015 at 6:29 pm
      jpg
      Participant

      Are you have symptoms like vomiting, constipation.  sometimes the scan can't see them. so be sure to tell your doctor.  I insisted on this and sure enough I had a tumor blockage and removal. Now doing well.

        • August 23, 2015 at 9:37 pm
        Randy437
        Participant

        So how was your tumor discovered?  CT? Camera? PET scan?  I'm negative on symptoms except for mild anemia.  CT and colonoscopy are negative. 

        • August 24, 2015 at 3:01 pm
        jpg
        Participant

        Finally from CT scan after symptoms of block, vomiting etc.  Are you losing weight for no explained reason? You need to discuss this worry with your doc.

        • August 24, 2015 at 3:01 pm
        jpg
        Participant

        Finally from CT scan after symptoms of block, vomiting etc.  Are you losing weight for no explained reason? You need to discuss this worry with your doc.

        • August 24, 2015 at 3:01 pm
        jpg
        Participant

        Finally from CT scan after symptoms of block, vomiting etc.  Are you losing weight for no explained reason? You need to discuss this worry with your doc.

        • August 23, 2015 at 9:37 pm
        Randy437
        Participant

        So how was your tumor discovered?  CT? Camera? PET scan?  I'm negative on symptoms except for mild anemia.  CT and colonoscopy are negative. 

        • August 23, 2015 at 9:37 pm
        Randy437
        Participant

        So how was your tumor discovered?  CT? Camera? PET scan?  I'm negative on symptoms except for mild anemia.  CT and colonoscopy are negative. 

      • August 23, 2015 at 6:29 pm
      jpg
      Participant

      Are you have symptoms like vomiting, constipation.  sometimes the scan can't see them. so be sure to tell your doctor.  I insisted on this and sure enough I had a tumor blockage and removal. Now doing well.

      • August 23, 2015 at 6:29 pm
      jpg
      Participant

      Are you have symptoms like vomiting, constipation.  sometimes the scan can't see them. so be sure to tell your doctor.  I insisted on this and sure enough I had a tumor blockage and removal. Now doing well.

      • August 23, 2015 at 10:43 pm
      BrianP
      Participant

      Randy,

      In my experience it can be tough to find mets in the small intestines with a CT.  Mine was eventually found with a PET.  Do a search for "Blood in stool" and you will find a thread where I chronicled my experience with finding the mets in my small intestines (4/11/2013). 

      Brian

       

       

      • August 23, 2015 at 10:43 pm
      BrianP
      Participant

      Randy,

      In my experience it can be tough to find mets in the small intestines with a CT.  Mine was eventually found with a PET.  Do a search for "Blood in stool" and you will find a thread where I chronicled my experience with finding the mets in my small intestines (4/11/2013). 

      Brian

       

       

      • August 23, 2015 at 10:43 pm
      BrianP
      Participant

      Randy,

      In my experience it can be tough to find mets in the small intestines with a CT.  Mine was eventually found with a PET.  Do a search for "Blood in stool" and you will find a thread where I chronicled my experience with finding the mets in my small intestines (4/11/2013). 

      Brian

       

       

      • August 24, 2015 at 3:33 pm
      CHD
      Participant

      I too was told CT is not as good at finding mets in the colon/intestinal areas.  I think there is some evidence that capsule endoscopy is a better study for this. 

      • August 24, 2015 at 3:33 pm
      CHD
      Participant

      I too was told CT is not as good at finding mets in the colon/intestinal areas.  I think there is some evidence that capsule endoscopy is a better study for this. 

        • August 24, 2015 at 7:58 pm
        pookerpb
        Participant

        My husband's melanoma removed from his leg in 2008 came back to small intestine in 2014. He had terrible stomach pains off and on for almost a year. He had colonoscopy and endoscopy several times and doc kept telling him he had mild gastritis. After several trips to ER and no relief, we discovered it was after he eats certain meals it would happen and would be excruciating for up to 4-6 hours. He lived on crackers and oatmeal and basically any food that was water soluble.

        Long story short I made sure that next doctor we moved onto knew that he had history of melanoma and that doctor said that he could do the camera endoscopy. There are so many folds in the small intestine that a blockage could so easily be missed as a colonoscopy can only reach so far.

        The camera found there were two masses that were almost completely blocking the lower intestine. This caused anemia for months and monhts due to slow blood loss, and he had severe vomiting when the mass got big enough to not allow much to pass through.

        Hope this helps. CT never found it, and PET scan wasnt offered, so the camera was the next step.

         

        • August 24, 2015 at 7:58 pm
        pookerpb
        Participant

        My husband's melanoma removed from his leg in 2008 came back to small intestine in 2014. He had terrible stomach pains off and on for almost a year. He had colonoscopy and endoscopy several times and doc kept telling him he had mild gastritis. After several trips to ER and no relief, we discovered it was after he eats certain meals it would happen and would be excruciating for up to 4-6 hours. He lived on crackers and oatmeal and basically any food that was water soluble.

        Long story short I made sure that next doctor we moved onto knew that he had history of melanoma and that doctor said that he could do the camera endoscopy. There are so many folds in the small intestine that a blockage could so easily be missed as a colonoscopy can only reach so far.

        The camera found there were two masses that were almost completely blocking the lower intestine. This caused anemia for months and monhts due to slow blood loss, and he had severe vomiting when the mass got big enough to not allow much to pass through.

        Hope this helps. CT never found it, and PET scan wasnt offered, so the camera was the next step.

         

        • August 24, 2015 at 7:58 pm
        pookerpb
        Participant

        My husband's melanoma removed from his leg in 2008 came back to small intestine in 2014. He had terrible stomach pains off and on for almost a year. He had colonoscopy and endoscopy several times and doc kept telling him he had mild gastritis. After several trips to ER and no relief, we discovered it was after he eats certain meals it would happen and would be excruciating for up to 4-6 hours. He lived on crackers and oatmeal and basically any food that was water soluble.

        Long story short I made sure that next doctor we moved onto knew that he had history of melanoma and that doctor said that he could do the camera endoscopy. There are so many folds in the small intestine that a blockage could so easily be missed as a colonoscopy can only reach so far.

        The camera found there were two masses that were almost completely blocking the lower intestine. This caused anemia for months and monhts due to slow blood loss, and he had severe vomiting when the mass got big enough to not allow much to pass through.

        Hope this helps. CT never found it, and PET scan wasnt offered, so the camera was the next step.

         

      • August 24, 2015 at 3:33 pm
      CHD
      Participant

      I too was told CT is not as good at finding mets in the colon/intestinal areas.  I think there is some evidence that capsule endoscopy is a better study for this. 

      • August 26, 2015 at 2:59 pm
      kpcollins31
      Participant

      The tumor in my small intestine was found very easily by PET/CT… I had no symptoms at the time it was discovered. Bowel resection surgery was done in early Feb 2014 to remove the section of intestine with the tumor – fortunately, I have been NED ever since. The surgery was tough but bearable – just under a week in the hospital. Worked from home for a week and then went back to the office. Was able to get back to the gym about 6 weeks post-op and I am in better shape now than when I went in for the surgery.

      My next scans will be in November so praying they remain clear.

      Kevin

      • August 26, 2015 at 2:59 pm
      kpcollins31
      Participant

      The tumor in my small intestine was found very easily by PET/CT… I had no symptoms at the time it was discovered. Bowel resection surgery was done in early Feb 2014 to remove the section of intestine with the tumor – fortunately, I have been NED ever since. The surgery was tough but bearable – just under a week in the hospital. Worked from home for a week and then went back to the office. Was able to get back to the gym about 6 weeks post-op and I am in better shape now than when I went in for the surgery.

      My next scans will be in November so praying they remain clear.

      Kevin

      • August 26, 2015 at 2:59 pm
      kpcollins31
      Participant

      The tumor in my small intestine was found very easily by PET/CT… I had no symptoms at the time it was discovered. Bowel resection surgery was done in early Feb 2014 to remove the section of intestine with the tumor – fortunately, I have been NED ever since. The surgery was tough but bearable – just under a week in the hospital. Worked from home for a week and then went back to the office. Was able to get back to the gym about 6 weeks post-op and I am in better shape now than when I went in for the surgery.

      My next scans will be in November so praying they remain clear.

      Kevin

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