Confused about PET Scan results

My mom was diagnosed a few months ago with NSCLC Lung Cancer stage IV. She has finished her chemo and did quite well handling the treatment. She had a follow up PET Scan and we were waiting for the results when she had an accident. A few days ago she took a bad fall and landed on her head. Currently she is in the IMC and very confused and unable to carry on a conversation that makes any sense. Me and my brother have tried to speak with her Oncologist about the results of the PET Scan but instead were given a copy of the report. As I am not a physician it is a bit confusing to me. If someone could help interpret the resutls I would greatly appreciate it. The results say "The invasive anterior left upper lobe soft tissue mass invading the chest wall has not significally changed in sizes measuring 4.9 x 2.3 cm in greatest cross sectional dimensions. The the mass again demonstrates intense hypermetabolism, with SUVmax of 13.5. The mass has decreased in overall hypermetabolism, with SUVmax previously measuring 18.0. Previously demonstrated right upper lobe 8 mm pulmanary nodule is no longer hypermetabolic though stable in size. No new hypermetabolic lesions".  

Is "hypermetabolism" the rate of cancer growth? Are these results overall good? I know that's a largley subjective question. If anyone could help I would greatly appreciate it.

                                   Sincerely Travis Blakemore 

On 12/10/2008 TravisB1970 wrote:

My mom was diagnosed a few months ago with NSCLC Lung Cancer stage IV. She has finished her chemo and did quite well handling the treatment. She had a follow up PET Scan and we were waiting for the results when she had an accident. A few days ago she took a bad fall and landed on her head. Currently she is in the IMC and very confused and unable to carry on a conversation that makes any sense. Me and my brother have tried to speak with her Oncologist about the results of the PET Scan but instead were given a copy of the report. As I am not a physician it is a bit confusing to me. If someone could help interpret the resutls I would greatly appreciate it. The results say "The invasive anterior left upper lobe soft tissue mass invading the chest wall has not significally changed in sizes measuring 4.9 x 2.3 cm in greatest cross sectional dimensions. The the mass again demonstrates intense hypermetabolism, with SUVmax of 13.5. The mass has decreased in overall hypermetabolism, with SUVmax previously measuring 18.0. Previously demonstrated right upper lobe 8 mm pulmanary nodule is no longer hypermetabolic though stable in size. No new hypermetabolic lesions".  

Is "hypermetabolism" the rate of cancer growth? Are these results overall good? I know that's a largley subjective question. If anyone could help I would greatly appreciate it.

                                   Sincerely Travis Blakemore 

 

On 12/18/2008 Judithf wrote:

 

On 12/10/2008 TravisB1970 wrote:

My mom was diagnosed a few months ago with NSCLC Lung Cancer stage IV. She has finished her chemo and did quite well handling the treatment. She had a follow up PET Scan and we were waiting for the results when she had an accident. A few days ago she took a bad fall and landed on her head. Currently she is in the IMC and very confused and unable to carry on a conversation that makes any sense. Me and my brother have tried to speak with her Oncologist about the results of the PET Scan but instead were given a copy of the report. As I am not a physician it is a bit confusing to me. If someone could help interpret the resutls I would greatly appreciate it. The results say "The invasive anterior left upper lobe soft tissue mass invading the chest wall has not significally changed in sizes measuring 4.9 x 2.3 cm in greatest cross sectional dimensions. The the mass again demonstrates intense hypermetabolism, with SUVmax of 13.5. The mass has decreased in overall hypermetabolism, with SUVmax previously measuring 18.0. Previously demonstrated right upper lobe 8 mm pulmanary nodule is no longer hypermetabolic though stable in size. No new hypermetabolic lesions".  

Is "hypermetabolism" the rate of cancer growth? Are these results overall good? I know that's a largley subjective question. If anyone could help I would greatly appreciate it.

                                   Sincerely Travis Blakemore 

 

Hi Travis I am not a doctor but I do have some experience with my husband pet scans.  The report says in a nut shell there has been some improvement but not much, yes the hypermetbolism  measure rate of growth of the cancer.  It is less then it was but it's still pretty high, the size of the tumor went down ever so slightly.  There still a ways to go in treatement base on the report.  God be with you and your family.