Fred Hutch & PET scan
Wednesday 1/8 was my 1st appointment at the Fred Hutch cancer care center. They did a PET scan where they inject a modified glucose compound that has been labeled with radioactive fluoride. Any tissue that is hypermetabolic [that has absorbed more of the glucose compound] will show up as a “hot spot” on the image.
Results: “Multiple, intensely FDG avid retroperitoneal and paraspinal nodes, the largest of which is a nodal conglomerate, measuring 77 x 60 mm. Given the observed activity and bulky disease, it is a probable lymphoma”. Basically, they found the same mass that was seen in the emergency room on x-ray plus some nearby smaller masses [scattered lymph nodes in the same region]. The tissue was very active, which would be expected from a cancer. The good news was that there were no other sites elsewhere in the body.
Today I met with the doctors in the lymphoma division at Fred Hutch. They did a thorough medical history and physical exam. They very much agree with the radiologist that I have a probable lymphoma but “the devil is in the details”. There are a number of different types of lymphoma, and each has a different treatment protocol. I’m almost certainly looking at chemotherapy in the near future and most lymphomas respond well. I am good prognosis, in general, in that I am otherwise strong and healthy. But, as expected, they need a good sample of the lymphoma tissue to analyze for genetics and various cellular markers. Then they will know which specific combination of chemotherapy drugs to use.
Diane and I were both impressed with the clinic facility, the staff, and the doctors. I am confident I am going to the right place [the sign above the reception desk says “Lymphoma Clinic”]. The next step is for the General Surgery division to schedule me for an operation to basically do a large biopsy of the mass and thereby get all the tissue information needed. Their best guess was that the operation would be in two or three weeks. I feel fine; until they get around to doing the operation I’m going to do weightlifting and play golf.
