Is a PET scan recommended to determine metastasis of rectal cancer?

Yes, I recently had a PET scan and a biopsy and was told by my doctor that the rectal cancer had returned in my lymph nodes. I start chemotherapy again soon.

Thank you. My sister has been dealing with rectal cancer for 3 years and has never had a PET scan. I think that she should have one. She has had local metastasis.

I was diagnosed in May 2018 and went through six months chemo and radiation. I had permanent colostomy surgery in February 2019. Best wishes to your sister.

I have recently been diagnosed with Anal Cancer. A 2cm growth with one off shoot into the nodes. All tests were done, but the PET scan is what showed that that is the only cancer cells at present. I can't imagine not having had this crucial test.

Hello, I , too, am curious about this topic. My husband was diagnosed in October 2020 with colon cancer. He had chemo to shrink the tumor and subsequent surgery. Summer of 2021 a PET scan showed some spots on liver and in lungs. Chemo followed and clear CT scans for a year. He recently had a ct that showed 2 small spots, which were to be treated by radiation and possibly surgery. Then they did a PET scan just to be sure nothing else showed up, and it showed lymph node activity in the intestine area. So he will now begin chemo next week, rather than the radiation. The doctor indicates that insurance sometimes limits the number of PET scans, but clearly they show more than the ct scans, at least in my husband's situation. Best wishes to your sister and others on this thread.

PET scan is what found my rectal cancer - but I already had colon cancer.

Thank you. My sister is scheduling that surgery now.

Good Luck!