When undergoing cancer treatment many patients experience an intellectual minefield, let alone the other emotional challenges they have to face. Upon being diagnosed with cancer you are suddenly thrust into the medical world and start hearing all kinds of complicated medical terms that come too thick and fast for you to fully pick up their meaning. This experience is commonly reported by cancer patients as adding to their sense of alienation and fear; it is a very intimidating situation to have to undergo procedures that you had no previous knowledge of and only partially understand. Confusion of this kind is just one of the obstacles that cancer patients have to face and they prove their bravery in the face of it every day.
Of the numerous diagnostic tools used to locate cancer and determine its stage of progress, the PET scan is commonly used. A positron emission tomography (PET) helps you to know the stage of your cancer, and is a useful tool in forming a treatment plan as well as predicting your prognosis, or chance of recovery. As such, you will come across the PET scan at the time of your first diagnosis and may well go through several while undertaking courses of treatment such as chemo- or radio- therapy. The PET scan is commonly used in association with other tests such as CT and MRI scans.
A small amount of radioactive substance is injected into the bloodstream and circulated around the body. This indicates the location of groups of cancerous cells in the body as it is absorbed by the cells requiring most energy. Since cancer cells absorb more energy than regular cells, the radioactive substance will be more concentrated at cancer sites, thus making their location clear on the scan. Many patients feel alarmed when they learn that a radioactive substance will be injected into their body, but it is important to know that the risk is minimal. Any aversion you feel to the style of the test should be put aside in the knowledge of the potentially life-saving benefits it will bring, in terms of knowing how your cancer is behaving.
It is important that you go into any medical procedure with a sense of calm, wellness and confidence. Do not hesitate to ask your doctor any questions that are preying on your mind, and don’t stop asking until you are satisfied. However busy your doctor is, information is a key part of patient care, and any good surgery or hospital will be able to direct you to an information service if they cannot provide full details there and then. Cancer is a time when too many people feel powerless, so take all the time you need to empower yourself with information and understanding. The benefits to your emotional wellbeing will then carry you through the process with confidence.
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