Liposarcoma on MRI in Virginia

AStone2011

My mother has always had these "fatty tumors" her entire life. They pop up, she'd have them removed, later on another would pop up, the cycle continued. None of which have been cancerous. They've been removed and they've all been benign. In June of 2010, she had a golf ball size tumor on her right hip/thigh area confirmed on an MRI. She complained that this tumor had grown and her Dr. requested another MRI. So it's now 16 cm x 3 x 3(give or take). The report also stated "positive evidence of liposarcoma". Without having a biopsy, what would make them determine this? Her Dr. has been her Dr. for over 15 years and she said his reaction when he read the report was "oh my god", something she's never heard him do before. He even went as far as immediately talking with another one of her Dr's via conference call about the actual tumor removal (because it had grown so quickly from June)at either MCV (VA. Commonweath University) or Duke. She is scheduled for a biopsy on Wed. 2/16. I have a million questions. I've read a lot of information on here, on-line, etc. I read up on these 2 hospitals, and Duke seems the better choice. I guess without the biopsy to confirm/rule out, I'm just torn up as to why that was stated on the report. Is that common? Is it that distinct that they would know it if they saw it right off? She is a 54 year old woman in pretty good health. I wouldn't say she's top notch healthy, but very active. I just need to know as much information as possible and if anyone has had any history with this type of cancer in Va. and where they were treated. Thanks in advance.
~A

scintillator

Liposarcoma
A,

You'll need to have this diagnosis confirmed, and then it will be important to know which type of liposarcoma it is. Until you know that don't worry too much yet. "Well differentiated" liposarcomas carry a very favourable prognosis, and although other liposarcomas do have the potential to spread in most cases they will not. Make sure your Mom goes to a "sarcoma center" where they specialise in these things. There's one in Vanderbilt, but others maybe closer to you.

bmscan

One Step at a Time...
I am 58 and have had 7 liposarcoma tumors over the past 13 years...
You need to get a biospy before stressing about it (easier said than done!). I live in the DC area and have been treated at Georgetown University Hospital for the all but the first two tumors.
It is a rarer type of cancer, but if watched and treated ...well, I'm proof. As a "bad drug" doctor once told me, you have stage 4 cancer (because it has moved locations), BUT you will probably live to be over 85. There will be interuptions in your quality of life for radiation (chemo has not proven to work for this ...depending on who you talk with), surgery and then frequent follow up scans.
If you want to read more, I wrote a blog(?) on my first ten years. Search for Liposarcoma: 10 Years, 7 Tumors, And New Technology… Beating the Odds!
Good luck, and most of be positive! It is the best thing for your Mom.

Bk_Tone

Liposarcoma
How is it going?

RE: "Is it that distinct that they would know it if they saw it right off? She is a 54 year old woman in pretty good health."

Mine was called a liposarcoma based on the CT scan. I think in my case it was characteristic enough of sarcoma to call it that. The biopsy confirmed the diagnosis.

I started preoperative Chemo in a bid to shrink it. It did not work. Chemo only works for fast growing cells. So they learned it was not fast growing. A good thing and a bad thing.

The good thing is slow growers are less likely to come back, or come back with virulence.

The bad thing is I lost all kinds of innards: Since they couldn't shrink the tumor, everything it was touching had to come out. For me that was a kidney and parts of colon and pancreas.

But that was 6 wonderful years ago. My quality of life is 100% of what it was before, and maybe better, because I have a newfound appreciation and gratitude for life. I am now 54, and ski, bike or hike every weekend!