GRACEcast-015_Cancer-101_David Djang Interview on PET Scans

cancergrace.org/
This interview by medical oncologist Dr. Jack West of Dr. David Djang, nuclear medicine expert in Seattle, covers the general principles and clinical utility of PET scans in lung cancer and other aspects of oncology.

[@patriciapeterson1543]

The Oncologist speaking was very clear and sounds like he would be a great doctor for a cancer patient.

[@CancergraceOrg]

I'm sorry you need to know how good Dr. Djang is at explaining difficult info. I hope you do well.

[@patriciapeterson1543]

@@CancergraceOrg my husband just had his 15th Pet scan on. Monday. He has one hot spot with an SUV of 3 compared to 3.4 last yr. We Praised the Lord as it has been a long 10yrs and stag 4 twice. Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma

[@CancergraceOrg]

That's great news Patricia. BTW, my husband is 15 years from his diagnosis, nsclc. He was branded recurrent twice within the first year. This past year he's had a year of suspicious scans but no cancer found in 2 biopsies. Very happy for our good luck.

[@funtosee1]

This is extremely helpful to those of us who have just received a cancer diagnosis. Very easy to understand! Thank you!!!

[@germerican7182]

Are you still with us?

[@aprildugger3012]

Thank you for posting this

[@ZeldaRosenthal]

Great discussion and I thank you!

[@buddha1736]

I had this done for my lungs I had a plural effusion and chronically inflamed pleural thickening and scaring on both lungs I had a SUV 4.7 and a hot spot less than 1cm from my heart, the hospital done lung biopsy around the area while I was awake in a CT scanner it found no cancer cells but that I had chronic inflamed plural plaque, so quiet a lot going on, I’m still breathless got a 6 month follow x ray test tomorrow so hopefully it be clear.

[@chainesism]

I really thought this was helpful for my situation. I thank you for putting this out there for us non-medical ppl.🙏

[@CancergraceOrg]

I'm sorry for your situation but glad this video was helpful. As a non-medical person too, it makes me happy to know our faculty of practicing clinical and research oncologists put in extra time to educate as many of us as possible so we too can be a part of the decision making and even info gathering.

[@godschild3640]

@@CancergraceOrg. DARLING 💚.. what are the red dots on the scan? I have a whole lot of them and I have non-small cell lung cancer stage four and we love your channel. Please write me back and what is the life expectancy .

[@CancergraceOrg]

Hey Chil, The bright red/yellow dots show where cells are most active. Lungs aren't normally that active so the dots likely represent cancer, inflammation and or infection. Unless someone is in the active stage of dying (3 or less days+/-) oncologists are the first to tell you they are notoriously bad at guessing how long someone with stage IV cancer will live. Are you or were you in treatment or hospice or...? If you've just been diagnosed make sure you get today's standard workup to make sure you get the most up to date treatment choices.

[@CancergraceOrg]

And I hope you were able to talk to you doc before seeing the scans.

[@godschild3640]

@@CancergraceOrg PLEASE🙏🏻 PLEASE 🙏🏻READ 🙏🏻WHAT🙏🏻 I TYPED 🙏🏻..

[@niteshbehera360]

Sir, My father in law, has a recurrence of oral cancer and had undergone radiation an year ago in july -aug 2019 He had a PET scan done recently where the SUV values are 9.5 and 9.8 near right buccal mucosa where he already had cancer, but the time of taking the scan he was having heavy infection in that area with lots of pus coming out. We did the pus culture test and there is e.coli bacteria present in that area. We are not able to consult the doctor due to covid. What does the high SUV signify here? Infection or Tumour.

[@janinethompson520]

Hi Nitesh Behera, Thanks for the question. Our mission is to get as much information to as many people as possible. With that in mind, I copied your question onto Grace's forum where more people will better find this. You can find it cancergrace.org/forum/pet-scan-infection-or-cancer Then sign up as a member and continue the conversation. Thanks, Janine

[@cacocorlino3666]

Im 33 years old. I had a 7cm tumor in my neck 2 years ago, it 2 different malignant cancers. 1 was papilary carcinoma and the other was hurtle cell carcinoma. I had 2 surgeries, radiation and a thyroidectomy. After my follow up last month I just received a call that my right armpit lymphnode lit up. Now I'm worried

[@cacocorlino3666]

@@Grateful-KJ thank you. Turns out there were multiple areas that lit up (the dr didn't communicate well with me, I found this out through his report) but when I got scanned again nothing lit up. So I'm good for now

[@md.ahasanulhabiblimon1403]

Does pet ct scan can detect the cancer of bones/blood?

[@janinethompson520]

Many types of cancer including bone cancer and most types of blood cancers (Hodgkins and the most common types of Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas) are detected by PET scans. PET scans are used to detect cancer throughout the body (in tissue and organs) so are used in the staging process of many cancers. PET scans are also useful in follow up and treatment decision making in some types of lymphomas.

[@md.ahasanulhabiblimon1403]

@@janinethompson520 If we take step to scan Pet-ct, why doctor suggested CA-15.3 blood test, where pet-ct is all in all? After pet-ct scan, do we need bone scan where my mother is attacked by Metastatic breast cancer in backbone! Pet-ct won't be all in all? Thank you sir

[@janinethompson520]

@@md.ahasanulhabiblimon1403 I'm so sorry about your mom's metastases. The CA-15.3 is a useful tool in assessing whether breast cancer may have spread but it is used in conjunction with other tests and not usually on its own. A PET/CT is used to find metastases in bone as well as other tissue and organs in the body while a bone scan is used to assess mets in bone. Your mom's oncologist will be best suited in determining which scan is best suited for her situation.

[@md.ahasanulhabiblimon1403]

@@janinethompson520 Thanks a lot

[@kandiceblu1]

Well my pet scan had major flaws and it came out false positive and those oncologist and thoracic doctors relied on it to make their diagnosis…..WRONG

[@CancergraceOrg]

Hi Kandice, I'm sorry to hear that. Pet scans show where sugar/energy is being used in the body. Cancer uses a lot of sugar and so does the brain, the stomach, inflammation and infection. It's important to use the results as a suggestion to get a biopsy to determine exactly what is causing the Pet's results. Sometimes a diagnosable biopsy isn't possible so deduction or watching is important. What was the result of this misinterpretation?

[@kandiceblu1]

@@CancergraceOrg I do not know yet I have to do another procedure called a navigational bronchoscopy and I’m waiting to hear from the thoracic Doctor Who is going to perform that and it should be like this week I think and I will let you know hopefully they can succeed with this the first bronchoscopy was OK and that’s where we found out there was no lymph node involvement at all and the PET scan did show that there was or so they said obviously because they didn’t think they would need to do the other which they should’ve done the other one first….The navigational bronchoscopy so now I have to go through another invasive procedure under general anesthetic and we could’ve avoided that completely by doing this other one first Bottom line They relied on the PET scan to make that diagnosis of not needing the navigational bronchoscopy only

[@CancergraceOrg]

If they haven't captured cancer cells to check under a microscope then the bronchoscopy is probably for that reason...assuming it's a mass they are targeting. Biopsies aren't always diagnosable...the report would say undiagnosable. Unfortunately, that happens and is no fault of the pulmonologist. I'm really sorry you're going through this. Hope to hear good news.

[@kandiceblu1]

Bottom line of this interview is there are a lot of flaws to pet scans

[@CancergraceOrg]

Hi Kandice, I've replied to your other comment below. I hope you are doing alright.