Can cancer look like arthritis on CT scan?!


Question: Can cancer look like arthritis on CT scan?
My mom had a routine CT scan done last month and there was a suspicious spot on her spine towards her lower back. They ordered a bone scan, which she was due for anyways, to further diagnose her. She says she doesn't feel any pain there and is shrugging it off as arthritis for now.

I truly understand her not wanting to sound worried, considering she has been diagnosed with breast cancer twice and it has spread to four other organs, but over the past 12 years I have come to learn that some people don't have symptoms of metastatic cancer. On the other hand, she has been on Fentanyl for quite a while now which takes only the edge off so she might not notice the pain.

She never thought the cancer in her lungs, bone, liver and colon was cancer until the tests showed it so a big part of me thinks the cancer spread to her spine now. I try to be optimistic but I'm more of a prepare for the worst and hope for the best type of person.

Does arthritis sometimes look like cancer on a CT scan? And would an oncologist normally say "it might just be arthritis" or just say nothing until they are sure?

Answers:

Yes it certainly can. I am part of a forum for breast cancer and there are often women in there who have spots on a CT scan only to find out it's arthritis. We have a bit of a joke where we say 'you know you have cancer when you are happy that the doctor says you have arthritis.'

It is an awful time waiting for scans and results and I think your mum is right to take the positive attitude. There really is no point worrying before you know what you are up against. It sounds like she is used to getting bad news by now and is just taking things as they come. I hope it is arthritis but if it isn't then I hope than keep this new spread under control. Good luck to you both.



Hi there.

It certainly can, I agree.
My answer comes from experience - my dad had lung cancer,
and for almost three years continually misdiagnosed with Arthritis, and
when he went to another group of physicians to get a second opinion, since the treatment
was not helping at all, it was confirmed that he had stage 4 lung cancer, and passed away
a mere six months later.

The misdiagnosis was devastating to our family, and I wish we had this level of access to information, which at the time we didn't, or I would have demanded a second opinion from the start.

Ask her to have it looked at again, and also get a second opinion.

I don't tell you this to scare you, I just want to share what I've been through, and maybe it could help you somewhat.

Good luck to you both, I pray that it is Arthritis and that she has an easy time getting treatment for it :)

www.cancercrew.com




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