Anybody Remember how I thought I had Lymphoma?

[RogueFactoryKid]

Guess not....I got something better.

http://img104.exs.cx/img104/6184/myneck5hw.jpg

Apparently it an easy procedure to remove it if it becomes a problem. But until then its just gonna chill out and stick out of my neck a wee bit.

[jekyll]

you have a tumor on your neck and they are going to remove it "if" it is a problem?

[quik]

No I dont remember, but boy oh boy I'd get that removed asap holmes.

[RogueFactoryKid]

I've had it for 2 and a half months and it hasnt changed size or caused any breathing/throat related problems. So i figure that i'm still going to get it checked from time to time but unless it worries me im not going down to that cutting board. If I do though i already have the knife fight story to explain the scar.
It's apparently Begnine or something along those lines which means it doesnt spread.

[RogueFactoryKid]

Oh and if i do go to get it chopped out i'm going to look into the possibilities of getting it video taped so i can show everyone.

[Yudanja]

Benign just means it is non-cancerous. It may become cancerous and it will grow.

I would recommend the surgery. I had a benign pituitary tumor. It was a bit more serious though, it pretty much killed my immune system, was affecting my vision, among other things. 8 hours on the table, 2+ weeks in the hospital and I was all better.

Stupid razzafracking medicine I have to be on for the rest of my life, which i seem to be forming an immunity to this particular medicine. I figure in about 5 years, I am gonna have to figure something else out.

IF you have not seen a doctor, go now. MRI's are not as bad as they seem, especially if there is a "open" MRI. I assume you have since you know if is benign.

Good luck, surgery is not that bad.

[arsonpaintball06]

yea....u might want to concider gettin it removed because benign tumors can become cancerous. but its your decision

[Python14]

Oh and if i do go to get it chopped out i'm going to look into the possibilities of getting it video taped so i can show everyone.


LOL. AO is one of the few places where you could do that.

[TheTramp]

Personally, I’d never want anything putting pressure on my carotid artery. :wow:

[WenULiVeUdiE]

Having a tumor is never good. Just get it removed now so there is no risk later on. So you dont catch it spreading to late.

[Python14]

Maybe it's full of .....CANDY!

[TheDuelist]

Not speaking from a professional standpoint but I believe that common practice is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." It seems to me that it has been diagnosed by a doctoar and has been determined not to be a problem so your best bet is to leave it alone. If its not causing problems and you remove it you invite the complications from the surgery to remove it. By keeping an eye on it and being aware it is there, you are following the best course of action. I would like to know if you have gotten multiple opinions on the diagnosis?

[gimp]

In response to what theduelist said, 'if it aint broke don't fix it'. That's the right idea, but definetly get a second opinion. I had an indented chest all my life because the doctors said it wasn't really causing any problems. I finally saw a decent doctor and found out it's really severe and I need to get it fixed. Now I've got some cool scars.

I wanted to get some pictures during the procedure, but the doctor wouldn't' allow it :(

[RogueFactoryKid]

Maybe it's full of .....CANDY!
It wouldnt be like a pinata because its only about the size of a grape but as hard as a rock. So the candy must be chiclets or something.

I got a Catscan to find it, what exactly is an MRI? I will most likely be seeing another doctor about the risks of getting it removed and what all is entailed with that.

The tumor is large enough that it isnt applying any pressure to my arteries so i never thought of it has something horrible.

[ScatterPlot]

MRI stands for Metallic Rod Insertion, which is a painful process in which they probe your inner workings with extremely sharp metal sicks the size of pencils. It's an old procedure, but is sometimes necessary.
















Haha JK. MRI= Magnetic Resonance Imaging. It's like a 3-d super xray machine that uses magnets to look at your innards. Doesn't hurt or anything, but it scares some claustrophobic people cause it's like a conveyor belt that sends you through this long teeny tube.

[ScatterPlot]

found a pic-

http://www.cis.rit.edu/htbooks/mri/chap-9/images/smh-mri.gif

[Cameo]

The pic of the MRI is a bit older. Most hosptials now use a open MRI which looks a little like a donut. The Main thing with MRI is you must stay complelty still for the duration that they are getting the "magnetic pictures". It takes the shots in different cycles of about 2-3 minutes and at times you can have 15 or more cycles. They normally sedate children for such things. But I have found that the sounds that the MRI puts off are a bit soothing(but loud) and put you to sleep, so sedation isn't really needed.
Good luck
~steph

[TheDuelist]

I've had a coupe of MRI' done when I fractured my neck. They aren't anything to be freaked out about if thats the case. I definitely agree the noise put me to sleep which was nice because I am claustrophobic and was in the type shown in the pic above. The sound was very soothing while I was in there. The images that come out are really cool. Good luck with this and keep us updated on your progress. I hope all goes well with whatever treatment you decide on.

[SSMercury]

Guys, it's his body, let him make his decision of surgery or not.

When I was being treated for testicular cancer 3 years ago (wow, 3 year anniversary of my diagnosis is Sunday), I REALLY regret taking chemotherapy. Sure, it PROBABLY killed some left over cancer cells, but the damage caused by the chemotheraputic agents (namely, Bleomycin) to my organs is still unknown. Neurological breakdown, reynaud's syndrome, these are things I have to live with for the rest of my LIFE (only 21 now). The surgery already removed the turmor, and all tests were clean afterwards pre-chemo.

They also wanted me to do a lymph node dissection, which is a long and complicated surgery, of several hours ON THE TABLE (This is an 8+ hour procedure) involving the pulling of 20-30 lymph nodes from my left testes up the inferior vena cava and the artery nearby, to almost the kidneys. These are the two largest bloodvessels in the human body, there's lots of nerves. Basically, even though doctors wanted me to do it, it wouldn't mean much of a damn thing except tell me for sure if they were cancerous.

If they were, we'll the next thing would be to assume I'm screwed and going to die. If one chemo course of 6 cycles didn't kill it, chemo is considered ineffective, can't treat with radiation or surgery since they wouldn't know which. If they HAD been clean, I'd have gone through a MAJOR surgical procedure just to know I'm clean.

I decided that not knowing whether I'm clear of cancer or not is not worth the risk of the procedure.


Good luck with it.

[PissedGodzilla]

Guys, it's his body, let him make his decision of surgery or not.

When I was being treated for testicular cancer 3 years ago (wow, 3 year anniversary of my diagnosis is Sunday), I REALLY regret taking chemotherapy. Sure, it PROBABLY killed some left over cancer cells, but the damage caused by the chemotheraputic agents (namely, Bleomycin) to my organs is still unknown. Neurological breakdown, reynaud's syndrome, these are things I have to live with for the rest of my LIFE (only 21 now). The surgery already removed the turmor, and all tests were clean afterwards pre-chemo.

They also wanted me to do a lymph node dissection, which is a long and complicated surgery, of several hours ON THE TABLE (This is an 8+ hour procedure) involving the pulling of 20-30 lymph nodes from my left testes up the inferior vena cava and the artery nearby, to almost the kidneys. These are the two largest bloodvessels in the human body, there's lots of nerves. Basically, even though doctors wanted me to do it, it wouldn't mean much of a damn thing except tell me for sure if they were cancerous.

If they were, we'll the next thing would be to assume I'm screwed and going to die. If one chemo course of 6 cycles didn't kill it, chemo is considered ineffective, can't treat with radiation or surgery since they wouldn't know which. If they HAD been clean, I'd have gone through a MAJOR surgical procedure just to know I'm clean.

I decided that not knowing whether I'm clear of cancer or not is not worth the risk of the procedure.


Good luck with it.


Did you talk to the doctor about this, because there are alot of great treatments out there if there is cancer in your lymphatic system. once it spreads from there, lung, pancreas.... The treatments are bascially not effective.

I am just giving you my opinion. I am a cancer researcher in NYC @ ImClone. It's my job to know this stuff.

RFK, this type of tumor is not at all uncommon, but the fact that it is in such a narrow space of your body, surrounded by CRITICAL pathways (Nervous system, carotids and jugulars) That standard practice is to resect these tumors. It will leave a scar on your neck, but since it is benign, it will MOST PROBABLY not return, and you will never have to say you died because you didn't take care of a tumopr in your neck.

also, chicks dig scars...

Hope this helps

[RogueFactoryKid]

I posted a little premature with what the doctor had said it would most likely come back as. After the catscan results got back to him he said I just have a longer then normal bone (I get that alot :rolleyes: ) in my neck. He says he has seen things like this before and that it is only a high chance its not a tumor but all the tests show it is just a bone.

[cockerkiller68]

I would recommend getting two different doctors opinions!! My friend just had his Spleen and Pancreas sp? taken out last week because of a small tumor. First doctor said no, second said yes. They found out that it was bigger than they expected.

Just get a 2nd opinion :)

[Automaggot68]

It wouldnt be like a pinata because its only about the size of a grape but as hard as a rock. So the candy must be chiclets or something.



No no, it's a family guy quote.