09/18/2014: PET Scan Results from 09/17/2014 – Scan #9:

Dr. Safah is still pleased with the results in the chest and neck as everything is showing little to no activity which is normal.  So as far as my chest and neck are concerned we are pretty much in the clear, however the spots in the abdomen are still there.  It has been 6 months. since the shingles, and the third scan that shows these spots.  Dr. Safah gives me an ultimatum.  We can either biopsy the spots now and find out what they are if anything and begin treatment if they are something, or we can wait another 6 months and take another scan then and then take action if needed.  She said three months is not enough time to wait this time, since we have the same results the past 3 scans which have been three months apart each.  She feels safe waiting 6 months and then doing another scan.  I opt for waiting the 6 months and then doing another scan since there has been no major changes, and everything has been pretty much stable and not really increasing in size or uptake.  Dr. Safah tells me that if the spots are still there in 6 months, then we will go ahead and do a biopsy to find out what it is, and then begin treatment.  More chemotherapy, another stem cell transplant, and more radiation are possibilities if needed, but she did not want to get into any of that yet because it could turn out to be nothing and clear itself up, and if that’s the case then worrying and planning would be for nothing.  So that’s the plan, to wait and see what happens.