I have a question regarding cancer. I've never thought to ask a dr. My grandmother died of bone marrow cancer when she was 74, mom died of cancer when she was 62.

I have been poked everywhere imagined except the brain area.

After mom had the lump and lymph removed and several months later when they assumed no cancer. She went to the emergency room where a catscan (spelling correct?) was done and blood work. Both confirmed she still had cancer and the scan showed where.

My friend's sister recently had breast cancer. They removed the lymphs and lump. Then they did blood work to see if any trace of the cancer.

My question, why don't they do the catscan and bloodwork first to see if a person has cancer and where a person has it in their body?

Is it not possible? I don't believe this right now because of the lab work.

Can anyone please explain.

I go for another round of exams in December.

By Kaye on Thursday, August 26, 2004 - 07:11 pm:

Well lets see...this is a tough question. Some cancers just aren't present in tumor form, like bone marrow cancer, leukemia etc. These are really only diagnosable via blood work. Even in these cases they run a cat scan (new technology is a PET scan) to check for tumors that can be caused from metastized cancer. The blood work is typically very accurate, they may run screens on 100 people a day, my guesses is only 5 or so of those have cancer. Now I don't know what that percent really is and I guess for every 5 caught there might be one missed. If the percentages were really that high, they would run scans. However scans are very spendy, true insurance will cover them, but it cost you your out of pocket of 10% and the insurance a bundle. Now if you knew there was something wrong that is worth spending, but don't you hate going to the doc and them saying oh it is a virus and you wasted your 10 dollar co pay? I guess it is the same theory. I personally will probably die of cancer, this conclusion comes from my history, so it would be nice to have a pet scan done yearly..LOL.

By Mommyathome on Thursday, August 26, 2004 - 08:24 pm:

Interesting.
My biggest fear is dying from cancer.

By Marg on Thursday, August 26, 2004 - 08:33 pm:

Kaye,

I was wondering, I, myself am at a greater risk of having cancer. Why not do blood tests and the scans on my type?

I have had MRS, Mammograms, colon exams, etc.... I know I have placed $1,000's of dollars on my insurance doing these 'just in case' tests. Why not just do blood work and a bone marrow test?

Ok, sounds stupid, I am not afraid of dying, I am afraid of pain.

My biggest fear is how my family would be affected if I do. This due to my mom passing away and I know the gaping hole it left, but I do know she is in a much better place (my religious belief).

I could go on an on, but they are just my feelings and opinions.

I am really wishy-washy though to cancer. Sometimes I feel it is best to know, other times I feel maybe I don't want to know.

Once again this is JMO.