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Onc did NOT do bone marrow biopsy
I have a separate question - my mother's oncologist diagnosed her with multiple myeloma w/o doing a bone marrow biopsy. He did do a full skeletal x-ray, but that is all (along with a serum electropheresis). He said all the labs tell him it's multiple myeloma and he's not going to put her through the biopsy (and b.c. of her age, 67, she's not a candidate for bone marrow transplant). So, my question is - is there ANY way that he could be wrong and she's been misdiagnosed? He said the weekly test to show her igA level is all he needs to tell if the Revlimid/Dexamethosone is working on the cancer. I'm highly suspect of him and my mother is very, very ill (malnutrition, not cancer) and I'm very frightened we're going to lose her.
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veganmartin - Name: Kristen
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Mother
- When were you/they diagnosed?: September 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 67
Re: Onc did NOT do bone marrow biopsy
Hi Veganmartin...there is another , more sensitive blood test than SPEP even. It is called 'serum free light chain test', and it tests for pieces of the abnormal antibodies that are floating free in the blood stream, which are spewed off by the cancer cells. That test seems very informative for telling us whether or not there is active myeloma.
I hope that your mother responds to the drugs given. If she has very little appetite, could she have stomach cancer? That cancer causes less appetite...sorry to be gloomy. That cancer is tested for by scoping down the esophagus. I guess what I am asking is whether other possibilities have also been ruled out. I am sure that your oncologist must have thought of this possibility also. i am not a doctor, but of course have in my life encountered family and friends with other cancers besides myeloma.
Hope that your Mom responds soon to the treatments, and also to the nutritional supplements recommended. Really best wishes to you!
I hope that your mother responds to the drugs given. If she has very little appetite, could she have stomach cancer? That cancer causes less appetite...sorry to be gloomy. That cancer is tested for by scoping down the esophagus. I guess what I am asking is whether other possibilities have also been ruled out. I am sure that your oncologist must have thought of this possibility also. i am not a doctor, but of course have in my life encountered family and friends with other cancers besides myeloma.
Hope that your Mom responds soon to the treatments, and also to the nutritional supplements recommended. Really best wishes to you!
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Nancy Shamanna - Name: Nancy Shamanna
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self and others too
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2009
Re: Onc did NOT do bone marrow biopsy
Hi Nancy. I believe she did have a serum free light chain test b/c I have all of her labs and those terms are listed on the reports.
I was worried about stomach cancer as well. I'm the one that said to the NP yesterday that I want her to have a GI consult. She did have a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis (w/o contrast) in the hospital the day before they told her it was multiple myeloma and everything appeared normal. But, I'm thinking she should def be scoped. I am going to suggest to the NP today when we go in for IV fluids again that I think she needs to be hospitalized to get this under control, get all the testing done, etc. It's too difficult to go to all of these specialists (oncologist, nephrologist, neurosurgeon for her back pain, and now a GI physician) for her - she's is exhausted. I want everything done at once, and although my parents are going to fight me on this, I think it's in her best interest and just may save her life.
I was worried about stomach cancer as well. I'm the one that said to the NP yesterday that I want her to have a GI consult. She did have a CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis (w/o contrast) in the hospital the day before they told her it was multiple myeloma and everything appeared normal. But, I'm thinking she should def be scoped. I am going to suggest to the NP today when we go in for IV fluids again that I think she needs to be hospitalized to get this under control, get all the testing done, etc. It's too difficult to go to all of these specialists (oncologist, nephrologist, neurosurgeon for her back pain, and now a GI physician) for her - she's is exhausted. I want everything done at once, and although my parents are going to fight me on this, I think it's in her best interest and just may save her life.
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veganmartin - Name: Kristen
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Mother
- When were you/they diagnosed?: September 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 67
Re: Onc did NOT do bone marrow biopsy
He should, at least, do a PET scan, CAT scan or MRI to check for bone involvement. The skeletal survey will only show so much.
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Stan W. - Name: Stan
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: SMM-April 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 58
Re: Onc did NOT do bone marrow biopsy
HI VeganMartin!
I would not be concerned about the BMT..as long as your DOC did a FLC assay for your mom.
That gives as much if not more information that is diagnostic for myeloma.
A PET scan, as Stan notes, will tell where bone lesions are in addition to the BM.
sounds like you are in good hands.
I would not be concerned about the BMT..as long as your DOC did a FLC assay for your mom.
That gives as much if not more information that is diagnostic for myeloma.
A PET scan, as Stan notes, will tell where bone lesions are in addition to the BM.
sounds like you are in good hands.
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suzierose - Name: suzierose
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2 sept 2011
Re: Onc did NOT do bone marrow biopsy
Hello. The neurosurgeon that my mother was referred to by the oncologist did an MRI of her spine and it showed two old compression fractures but the report stated that they were not caused by multiple myeloma and there was no evidence of multiple myeloma in the spine. I took this as a very good sign. She was admitted to the hospital last night and started dialysis today. It's been an exhausting few days.
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veganmartin - Name: Kristen
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Mother
- When were you/they diagnosed?: September 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 67
Re: Onc did NOT do bone marrow biopsy
Hi Veganmartin,
It must be a relief that it is not multiple myeloma - at least you can rule that out. Hopefully now that you have her in hospital the doctors will be able to work out what is going on.
All the best.
It must be a relief that it is not multiple myeloma - at least you can rule that out. Hopefully now that you have her in hospital the doctors will be able to work out what is going on.
All the best.
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LibbyC - Name: LibbyC
- Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2009
- Age at diagnosis: 43
Re: Onc did NOT do bone marrow biopsy
Hi Vegmartin,
I should clarify that its good that its not in her spine.
Libby
I should clarify that its good that its not in her spine.
Libby
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LibbyC - Name: LibbyC
- Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2009
- Age at diagnosis: 43
Re: Onc did NOT do bone marrow biopsy
Thank you. I'm just really baffled at how her creatinine can go from 2.7 on 9/11/12 to 8 or 9 in just over one month's time. Is it the Revlimid/Dexa?
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veganmartin - Name: Kristen
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Mother
- When were you/they diagnosed?: September 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 67
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