[quote=Charm2017]

HEADS UP, that there is a 50 % chance or better (worse) that the Petscan may cause you both unnecessary worry and fear by falsely indicating that the cancer is back when in fact it is not. I've ranted about Petscans a lot here especially for BOT, but bottom line is that a petscan cannot distinguish between the sugar uptake in the normal recovery process for the base of tongue area cells they are not there yet.[/quote]

I strongly agree with Charm's comment. J's "SCC" was staged and treatment was planned based on a false positive result on a PET scan. The areas that lit were nodes recovering from severe throat infections and allergic reactions. When J had an MRI 8 months after the PET was done and 5 months after treatment was suspended, the nodes were no longer visible--he was cancer-free.

A stupid and/or dishonest RO relied solely on the PET (which has a notorious reputation for false positives) to diagnose and plan treatment of a cancer that did not even exist. Had a biopsy been done, they would have known that the nodes were not malignant...just recuperating.

Regardless of what the PET reveals, or any other scan for that matter, if something shows up...get it biopsied. Per the ACS, MRI's give a more detailed and clearer picture than does a PET. And furthermore, the ACS reaffirms what is now an OCF mantra--ONLY A BIOPSY CAN TELL IF CANCER IS PRESENT. And, as per the ACS, PET scans will tell a doctor where cancer might be present and tells a surgeon where to look when doing a biopsy. However, it is not an actual diagnositic test for cancer.

Best wishes for an all clear!