Bonnie’s Story

“In May 2015, after a surgery on a breast tumor, I was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer…

Each time I had a PET scan it showed more progression than CT scans that were performed in between. PET scans have proven to be more beneficial in my case and the cost and stress of travelling is reduced, as the PET is a one-time scan compared to three days for the Octreotide scan. This is a lot less stressful, which means a lot to a patient that has to regularly scan. The addition of the FDG PET allowed for awareness and treatment of both grade 1 and 2 tumours...”

-Bonnie M., Toronto Ontario

Jackie’s Story

“In 2008, at the age of 38, I was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer in my small intestine that had spread to my liver.  That year I underwent surgery to have the primary cancer removed as well as 60% of my liver.  I had a second liver operation in 2016, after which time I was told I may be NED (no evidence of disease) in my liver based on MRI imaging.

Knowing that my liver was being closely monitored with MRI, I advocated for a very specific PET scan, the Ga68 PET/CT to discover whether there was any disease outside my liver. At the time it was not possible to get this PET scan in Canada so I travelled to the United States to have it done. This PET scan was a game changer. I went for this scan thinking I was NED in my liver but was nervous as to whether there was anything outside my liver.  To my shock, the PET scan showed approximately twelve small tumours on my liver. I was crushed to learn that my liver was not NED as per the MRI but was happy to know that there was no disease outside my liver. This knowledge put my mind at rest and set the stage for ongoing monitoring of my liver every three months with MRI since the PET scan was not available in Ontario.

I travelled several more times to get access to this superior PET scan and I have had it twice now in Ontario with three years between the first and most recent scan...”

-Jackie H., Toronto