› Forums › Cutaneous Melanoma Community › Bone Scan results are good
- This topic has 12 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 8 months ago by
chalknpens.
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- August 3, 2012 at 1:22 am
I had the bone scan done last week, and met with the orthopedist this week to hear the results. While he found evidence of an old fracture (which might correlate with the beginning of the pain a few years ago in my lower right rib) he saw no indication that the melanoma had spread to my bones. That was very good news, and reassuring.
He is still, though, suggesting that I enlist an oncologist to manage my melanoma treatments from this point on. My dilemma is whether to go in to Boston to Dana Farber, or to go to my local hospital and find an oncologist there.
I had the bone scan done last week, and met with the orthopedist this week to hear the results. While he found evidence of an old fracture (which might correlate with the beginning of the pain a few years ago in my lower right rib) he saw no indication that the melanoma had spread to my bones. That was very good news, and reassuring.
He is still, though, suggesting that I enlist an oncologist to manage my melanoma treatments from this point on. My dilemma is whether to go in to Boston to Dana Farber, or to go to my local hospital and find an oncologist there.
I feel a bit foolish going in to Boston, with what might be no reason to look for an oncologist. The dermatologist told me a few weeks ago that this was 'just superficial' stage 1 melanoma. But the orthopedist is looking at a larger picture, and further ahead, and suggesting that an oncologist would be the right doctor to help me make decisions when or if more melanoma is discovered.
This is deja-vu, reminding me of receiving the diagnosis of relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis five years ago. I agreed to the daily self-injection for treatment, even though I had not had recurring symptoms but always different symptoms. I was advised that the injections were designed to 'slow the progression' of MS, not treat any symptoms that came along. The belief was that by reducing the number of relapses, it would slow the progression.
New research is out now that denies that – even though the injections reduce the number of relapses, it does not slow the progression overall. I had been very depressed by the whole MS treatment ambiguity, and had stopped the injections on my own last year, but too late to save my careeer, as I'd been encouraged to choose 'quality of life' and retire earlier than I'd planned. I did retire, but on a smaller pension than I'd planned. Once I retired, i stopped the injections and immediately felt better for a few months … until this May when i was diagnosed with melanoma and other skin cancers, and the surgeries began. 'Quality of life' is different than i'd expected … we spend most of our time and too much of our money driving to skin surgeries week after week.
I've already begun questioning the wisdom of allowing the surgeries, which leave large lines of sutures, to begin, if it is 'only superficial and stage 1.'
There are no do-overs in life, much as i wish there were.
But the bone scan showed no bone cancer.
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- August 3, 2012 at 10:04 am
You're stage I? I don't think at that stage there is much an oncologist would do, maybe feel your lymph nodes upon examination (which any doctor should be able to do, even your derm), do bloodwork but there really is no blood test for melanoma, and that's about it.
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- August 3, 2012 at 10:04 am
You're stage I? I don't think at that stage there is much an oncologist would do, maybe feel your lymph nodes upon examination (which any doctor should be able to do, even your derm), do bloodwork but there really is no blood test for melanoma, and that's about it.
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- August 3, 2012 at 10:04 am
You're stage I? I don't think at that stage there is much an oncologist would do, maybe feel your lymph nodes upon examination (which any doctor should be able to do, even your derm), do bloodwork but there really is no blood test for melanoma, and that's about it.
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- August 3, 2012 at 12:00 pm
My concern for you is about the number of melanomas you've had in different places, and that leads me to suggest that you find a melanoma specialist to consult with. I don't know how far Dana Farber is for you, but if you plan to go for a consultation that doesn't commit you to going there every time for follow-up and treatment. Take the opportunity to educate yourself thoroughly about cancer in general and melanoma speficially.
Here's an example – the bone scan probably was not looking only for "bone cancer," it was looking for metastatic melanoma that had spread to your bones. The cells of each type of cancer (bone cancer, melanoma, lung cancer, etc.) look different from each other, and a melanoma that has spread to the bones will look like melanoma under the microscope, not like bone cancer.
If your various incidences of melanoma are each primary, you may not have as much to worry about. But I would want a melanoma specialist to look at the whole thing and sort it out, if I were you.
Good luck!
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- August 3, 2012 at 12:00 pm
My concern for you is about the number of melanomas you've had in different places, and that leads me to suggest that you find a melanoma specialist to consult with. I don't know how far Dana Farber is for you, but if you plan to go for a consultation that doesn't commit you to going there every time for follow-up and treatment. Take the opportunity to educate yourself thoroughly about cancer in general and melanoma speficially.
Here's an example – the bone scan probably was not looking only for "bone cancer," it was looking for metastatic melanoma that had spread to your bones. The cells of each type of cancer (bone cancer, melanoma, lung cancer, etc.) look different from each other, and a melanoma that has spread to the bones will look like melanoma under the microscope, not like bone cancer.
If your various incidences of melanoma are each primary, you may not have as much to worry about. But I would want a melanoma specialist to look at the whole thing and sort it out, if I were you.
Good luck!
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- August 3, 2012 at 12:00 pm
My concern for you is about the number of melanomas you've had in different places, and that leads me to suggest that you find a melanoma specialist to consult with. I don't know how far Dana Farber is for you, but if you plan to go for a consultation that doesn't commit you to going there every time for follow-up and treatment. Take the opportunity to educate yourself thoroughly about cancer in general and melanoma speficially.
Here's an example – the bone scan probably was not looking only for "bone cancer," it was looking for metastatic melanoma that had spread to your bones. The cells of each type of cancer (bone cancer, melanoma, lung cancer, etc.) look different from each other, and a melanoma that has spread to the bones will look like melanoma under the microscope, not like bone cancer.
If your various incidences of melanoma are each primary, you may not have as much to worry about. But I would want a melanoma specialist to look at the whole thing and sort it out, if I were you.
Good luck!
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- August 3, 2012 at 9:40 pm
In reality, places like Dana Farber, etc., might not allow a stage 1 patient a consult with an oncologist — probably just a derm. I get the concept – if things progress, it's nice to have an oncologist. But your stuff is so low risk that there isn't anything an oncologist can offer you. There are no drugs or treatments for stage I, only observation. Oncologists treat active disease and the likelihood that your melanoma will be "active disease" is very low. Other that palpating your lymph nodes and checking your skin (which a derm can do as well and is probably better at), I'm not sure what they can offer you. I've had 3 primaries and been stage I since 1992. I haven't seen a need for a melanoma oncologist. I do see a cutaneous oncologist for my derm, however. That is something you might consider as their specialty is cancer on the skin but not systemic disease. Basically, a derm that specializes in skin cancers only. I think the orthopedist probably has no real clue the melanoma stages (not unheard of) and that your derm is just fine. If you choose to get an onc, I'd probably go local. Make it easy on yourself. If you ever need more advanced help, it's nice to know you can go to a major center. But your real needs at this point really don't include an oncologist. Just my take.
Janner
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- August 3, 2012 at 9:40 pm
In reality, places like Dana Farber, etc., might not allow a stage 1 patient a consult with an oncologist — probably just a derm. I get the concept – if things progress, it's nice to have an oncologist. But your stuff is so low risk that there isn't anything an oncologist can offer you. There are no drugs or treatments for stage I, only observation. Oncologists treat active disease and the likelihood that your melanoma will be "active disease" is very low. Other that palpating your lymph nodes and checking your skin (which a derm can do as well and is probably better at), I'm not sure what they can offer you. I've had 3 primaries and been stage I since 1992. I haven't seen a need for a melanoma oncologist. I do see a cutaneous oncologist for my derm, however. That is something you might consider as their specialty is cancer on the skin but not systemic disease. Basically, a derm that specializes in skin cancers only. I think the orthopedist probably has no real clue the melanoma stages (not unheard of) and that your derm is just fine. If you choose to get an onc, I'd probably go local. Make it easy on yourself. If you ever need more advanced help, it's nice to know you can go to a major center. But your real needs at this point really don't include an oncologist. Just my take.
Janner
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- August 3, 2012 at 9:40 pm
In reality, places like Dana Farber, etc., might not allow a stage 1 patient a consult with an oncologist — probably just a derm. I get the concept – if things progress, it's nice to have an oncologist. But your stuff is so low risk that there isn't anything an oncologist can offer you. There are no drugs or treatments for stage I, only observation. Oncologists treat active disease and the likelihood that your melanoma will be "active disease" is very low. Other that palpating your lymph nodes and checking your skin (which a derm can do as well and is probably better at), I'm not sure what they can offer you. I've had 3 primaries and been stage I since 1992. I haven't seen a need for a melanoma oncologist. I do see a cutaneous oncologist for my derm, however. That is something you might consider as their specialty is cancer on the skin but not systemic disease. Basically, a derm that specializes in skin cancers only. I think the orthopedist probably has no real clue the melanoma stages (not unheard of) and that your derm is just fine. If you choose to get an onc, I'd probably go local. Make it easy on yourself. If you ever need more advanced help, it's nice to know you can go to a major center. But your real needs at this point really don't include an oncologist. Just my take.
Janner
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- August 6, 2012 at 12:57 pm
Thank you all for your replies. It is very reassuring to know that you are here and can help someone new to all of this begin to sort it out.
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- August 6, 2012 at 12:57 pm
Thank you all for your replies. It is very reassuring to know that you are here and can help someone new to all of this begin to sort it out.
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- August 6, 2012 at 12:57 pm
Thank you all for your replies. It is very reassuring to know that you are here and can help someone new to all of this begin to sort it out.
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Tagged: cutaneous melanoma
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