My Cancer (Merkel Cell Carcinoma) Update #1

A PET/CT scan assists doctors in staging cancers by revealing the source of the cancer and locating other cancerous areas of the body. My PET/CT scan was completed  on 4/20/17.

Before the scan, patients receives an injection of radioactive glucose to light up metabolic cancer cells.  My known cancer is on my right forearm so it only made sense to do the injection on my left arm. The problem is, almost all of my veins in my left arm are blown. After 2 failed attempts,  the nurse injected my right arm. My scan showed a small hypermetabolic focus in the mid right forearm  (the known location). An additional subcutaneous soft tissue nodule in the distal upper right arm, possibly the epitrochlear lymph node, was noted. It also revealed, a morphologically normal nonenlarged right axillary lymph node that demonstrated mild metabolic activity, which could be due to the radiotracer infiltration or mestastasis. On a positive note no cancer was seen on my organs.

Since the lymph node findings were inconclusive due to the radioactive glucose being injected in my right arm, my oncology surgeon ordered an ultrasound  of my epitrochlear and axillary lymph nodes. 

I had the ultrasound on  4/27/17. 

Surgery is scheduled…