Swollen Lymph Node in Groin and other pains

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 said:

Different Take...

Needadvice,

I will play devil's advocate here and sound a little differnt that my friends who earlier posted in response to you.  I would make an appointment with an oncologist. If your insurance situation requires a referral (some oncologists in some areas require referrals, and some do not) then ask your doc, with all due respect, for a referral.  If he will not, get a referral from a different doctor.

If you roam around this site, you will see that virtually everyone got diagnosed with lymphoma in differing ways.  Sometimes it is blatantly clear, immediately, that it was lymphoma, but many other people are treated for non-cancerous diseases for some time before finally getting a correct diagnosis.

What passes for "bloodwork" can vary widely also.  Did you receive a full CBC and Metabolic Profile ?  The average CBC "package" does not contain many specialty tests used to track lymphoma. It varies by the lab selling the tests, basically.  The labs run on you may have been very complete and thourough, or may not be so thorough.  Ask the doc that question, or look at the results yourself -- the headings will ordinarily say what tests or sorts of tests are included.  But: even people with late stage disease sometimes have labs results that are near-normal.  I was one such person, and in fact, my WBC counts were NEVER abnormal, prior to receiving chemo infusions.  Also, I NEVER felt a node ANYWHERE prior to diagnosis. My cancer was caught via a CT, which I was given due to chest pain, which the doctors thought was angina.  It was instead massive nodes pressing agasinst the wall of my heart.

I have NO medical training, but I have never heard any doctor claim that he can look at an exposed node and tell if it is benign or cancerous.  A surgeon who has cut out a biopsy node cannot even know that -- it has to be sent to a lab for analysis by pathologists.  In fact, the ONLY definitve diagnosis for cancer is a pathology report from a biopsied sample.   Clinically, I first presented with huge nodes across three quadrants of my body. The surgeon looked at the CT with me and said:  "I am not an oncologist, but I do a lot of cancer surgery. This is UNOFFICIAL, but you are torn up with lymphoma.  But we must do a biopsy to confirm ." He was absolutely correct.  He said that he only other thing that looks similiar on a CT to what I showed is end-stage AIDS, but I was at no risk for HIV, and have always tested negative.

So, I would request a referral, or at least further testing.  I would rather spend a little more money on insurance copays and deductables, to be sure.

Just my view of what you described.  Please do send us anything further that you learn.

max

My lymphoma was found with a

My lymphoma was found with a CT scan. It was also caught at the same time they diagnosed me with colon cancer.

My surgeon ordered  a CT scan before he did my colon cancer surgery. I had enlarged lymph nodes in my chest. He had to rule out metastasis cancer of the colon. 

So the next test was a Pet Scan. cancer lights up with that type of test.

After the pets scan lit up in that area. The next test was a CT guided biopsy of the swollen lymph node. The lymph node that is enlarged is next to my Aorta. 

That is how they determined I have lymphoma..

My blood work has been perfect even having been diagnosed with two cancers, GERD and H-pylori. 

Now I was having chest pains and a burning sensation down my throat all thought to be caused by GERD. This was my first sign I was sick with something.

I also went to three doctors for different opinions.  I will admit something told me there was more wrong than what the first two doctors Said.

So go get more opinions. 

I wish you best

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 said:

Ilove,

Your story is rare and remarkable.  Discovering two distinct cancers, and at the same time; I cannot recall a similiar case here right off.

It seems you have properly insisted that this be verified: that it is not lymphoma gone into the colon, or colon cancer in the lymphatic system, either of which is more intuitive that two unrelated cancers emerging simultaneously. But, the lymphatic cancer being in fact lymphoma is probably a good thing, since lymphoma is much more easily treated than metastatic colorectal cancer.  How did your surgery on 1/11 go ? (mentioned on your Bio page).

I have severe reflux too, caused by a quite large hiatial hernia. My surgeon is treating me with meds also, and has recommended against surgery.  I have had doctors thinking that I was having angina attacks more than once in the ER, but it was reflux scalding the tube; the spasms feel exactly like a heart attack. Scary stuff.

You are on an older thread that has been dormant for over two years. You may want to start a new thread, since your time here is just getting started.

I hope the site is of benefit to you, and that you continue to write,

max

Still trying to figure out this site

thanks for responding and asking, 

 

Ahhh yes according to a few different doctors I am being told my case is Rare  but not unusual....

oh I been having a gay old time since last September. Which started with acid reflex. which then required a edoscope down my throat. And of course I was at that time offered a colonopspy. I did both never had either before. I'm no spring chicken. And yea they found H-pylori in my tummy,  upgraded acid reflex to GERD and a ulcer in my colon with a precancerous polyp. 

Saw a second GI doctor who tried to remove the ulcer by EMR. He couldn't. 

Saw a surgeon he recommended and I said if this is precancerous should we do a CT Scan? He said No we only order them when the path report is cancerous. I go well you and I both know if the two dr donot hit the spot where the cancer is, it could very well be? He yes but you have two GI Dr's both say you dont have cancer.  I can offer you a choice of two surgeries. One I remove your cecum and two I remove that an some lymph nodes, along with about six inches of your colon.  He told me to go home and think about Which surgery I wanted.

Well I thought about it and decided to see a third GI Doctor at Mayo Clinic. who offered to try and do an EMR again, to remove the ulcer/polyp. He took one look and knew it was cancer. Took some more tissue and it can back Adenocarcinoma. It was rising in a serrated Adenoma. 

He referred me to surgeon who ordered a CT scan and that was when they found the Swollen lymph nodes in my chest. 

I was offered the option to have two more tests before my surgery. I accepted cause your right,  better to have lymphoma than a stage 4 cecum cancer...the pet scan and ct guided biopsy, Confirmed follicular lymphoma 

so my colon surgery was back on 1/11/16 ..they did the surgery and killed off the colon cancer. Said they got it all. I would not need any more treatments it was gone. Surgery was ok till day 3, when i couldn't eat or drink anymore and they had to jump start my colon again. once that started working I got dehydrated and ended up with a 7 day hospital stay. 3 1/2 weeks later, well I am learning, what I can and cannot eat anymore.

But I won't lie my mind is tad messed up. I can't figure out what ache and pain i should be concerned with or not? They shouldn't of never told me about the lymphoma.. Cause I honestly think my lymph nodes are swelling. And when I read about lymphoma, well I start feeling every symptom. I hope it is all in my darn head. 

I am thinking every little weird symptom is a sign of lymphoma. So I am very freaked out. I just ordered a book called living with lymphoma. I am hoping that helps answer some questions. Cause you could make yourself nuts reading all this stuff online. I think I'm almost there. This two for one cancer special tests your strength.