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What Causes Spongy Bump On Lower Back?

Posted on Mon, 14 Sep 2015

Question: I worked with XXXXXXX doctor. Anyway, I guess they cut me off for further questions. I need an oncologist specifically a prostate "metastasized to BONE". Question is the bump on the lower back (thank God at this point it's not on the spine) it is "spongy". It's not the tissue for the bone, it is a bump. Why I ask is it spongy. He is very skinny too. Also, he did a PET an Bone scan and the prostate is clear and so were the nodes. So why is the PSA 13? Does it come from the cells of the bone bump cancer?

Answered by Dr. Indranil Ghosh (7 hours later)

Brief Answer:
unlikely to be coming from spongy bump

Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for your query.

This spongy bump is unlikely to be prostate cancer metastasis. Metastatic lesions are more commonly firm to touch. It may be a cyst in the skin or benign tumor.

The PSA may be due to microscopic cells in the prostate which are not getting picked up on the PET scan. Is this spongy bump showing up on the PET? And did we get a biopsy from prostate.

Sometimes urinary infections also elevate PSA.

Hope this helps. I will be available for follow up.
Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Indranil Ghosh (7 hours later)

Oh, thank you Dr. XXXXXXX You have great points here. Although I am not happy with his doctor right now because he has done nothing regarding biopsy of bone OR prostate biopsy or even a bone aspiration. I know they did do a pet scan over the prostate and lymphs etc. But in their respect you could be right on, they are so small of the prostate, they really need a biopsy to could confirm. They relied on the pet only. If he happens to have a uti, he doesn't have symptoms. And he does not have any symptoms from this new bone bump. I just wish I could make the call and ask for more testing, XXXXXXX won't, he's intimidated and these doc are arrogant so even myself with a medical background cannot get through either. I am pushing nicely for XXXXXXX when he sees him next to order the biopsies at the earliest. Thanks, I'll keep you posted. And have a great day!
One more thing, I understand not all UTIs have symptoms and others do not.

Answered by Dr. Indranil Ghosh (4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
yes bone scan and PET scan would have picked up bone cancer

Detailed Answer:
Hence the possibility of the back bump being cancer is very low. Let's see what the prostate biopsy shows. Then we can take it further.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Indranil Ghosh (3 hours later)

I wish his doctor was as organized as you. You would think this is just common sense! I will keep on pushing XXXXXXX nicely for biopsy.biopsy x2 that is prostate and I want bone aspiration or/and biopsy. Which one is better for the bone test? aspiration or biopsy? or any suggestions further?
Thank you again.

Answered by Dr. Indranil Ghosh (10 hours later)

Brief Answer:
prostate biopsy

Detailed Answer:
I would recommend transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy. Multiple cores 6-12 are required so that we don't miss prostate cancer.

The bump on the back is unlikely to be coming from the bone. Probably from skin or subcutaneous fat. If doctor feels, that can be biopsied as well.

Note: For further queries related to kidney problems Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar