The recommendations for surgery were interesting, but I had treated a sufficient number of patients with this aggressive form of skin cancer, and chose to discuss a preliminary option with my physicians. As described a recent blog post, the purpose in having a medical test is to get information which will substantively affect patient care decision-making. And the PET scan ordered by my physician, which showed no activity outside the known location of metastatic melanoma, allowed me to accept my physicians' advice to have surgery.
Did this PET scan offer me a guarantee? No - because no test is 100% accurate or complete (particularly when looking for a few malignant cells outside the known focus of 10,000,000,000 which a cubic centimeter of tumor may contain). But having the test was rational, appropriate and medically indicated. I had the surgery six days ago.
Pathology pending. Further treatment plans pending. More to come.
Did this PET scan offer me a guarantee? No - because no test is 100% accurate or complete (particularly when looking for a few malignant cells outside the known focus of 10,000,000,000 which a cubic centimeter of tumor may contain). But having the test was rational, appropriate and medically indicated. I had the surgery six days ago.
Pathology pending. Further treatment plans pending. More to come.
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