paranasal cancer

tesa
tesa Member Posts: 123
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Please someone answer me on this. When a surgeon does a surgical biopsy, is he/she able to kind of tell whether it is a cancerous growth or not? very nervous.
Also, how long does it take to receive the biopsy results?

Comments

  • Hal61
    Hal61 Member Posts: 655
    #2
    Nerve wracking
    Hi Tesa, a biopsy is often done for just that, to tell if an abnormality is cancerous or not. Let's hope it's just a lump. The doctor who did the biopsy or the doctor who referred you to the surgeon should both be notified of the results, and they are usually available from the lab within a couple of days. Call either one to find out the results. If you just had the biopsy yesterday or today, you may have to wait until Monday. Keeping my fingers crossed for you.
    best, Hal
  • Kent Cass
    Kent Cass Member Posts: 1,898 Member
    #3
    tesa
    Not sure if this'll help, but possibly. My initial biopsy involved 5 samples from different areas my ENT found suspicious, including one from my largest tumor. It took almost a week, though I know that can be made shorter. Yes, the tumor sample came back as Positive for NPC, but the other 4 came back Negative. And my ENT was surprised by it, or at least he seemed to be. Told me he even called the lab to make sure! I've heard it said that C has a certain color(s) which is typical, so a Surgeon might be able to ID it as a Probable by eyesight, but I put my money on the impartial lab results being the source to be determine if it is, or isn't.

    The waiting time is a stressful one, tesa. All of us have been thru it. Best advice I can give is to prepare for the worst, but keep it in mind that the best is possible. I used my time to get used to the idea of really having the C, little by little. It was during this time that I "got real" with life. Nothing you can do about the test results, tesa. They are what they are. You are gonna survive this, even if it is C. We all have survived the first battle with C, and most even the second battle. The Drs. do an excellent job of taking care of us with the meds, so the suffering is a lot less than one might fear. This is 2011, tesa, and H&N is survived, now.

    Hope your results are Negative. Keep us updated. That's why we're here.

    kcass
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #4
    Kent Cass said:

    tesa
    Not sure if this'll help, but possibly. My initial biopsy involved 5 samples from different areas my ENT found suspicious, including one from my largest tumor. It took almost a week, though I know that can be made shorter. Yes, the tumor sample came back as Positive for NPC, but the other 4 came back Negative. And my ENT was surprised by it, or at least he seemed to be. Told me he even called the lab to make sure! I've heard it said that C has a certain color(s) which is typical, so a Surgeon might be able to ID it as a Probable by eyesight, but I put my money on the impartial lab results being the source to be determine if it is, or isn't.

    The waiting time is a stressful one, tesa. All of us have been thru it. Best advice I can give is to prepare for the worst, but keep it in mind that the best is possible. I used my time to get used to the idea of really having the C, little by little. It was during this time that I "got real" with life. Nothing you can do about the test results, tesa. They are what they are. You are gonna survive this, even if it is C. We all have survived the first battle with C, and most even the second battle. The Drs. do an excellent job of taking care of us with the meds, so the suffering is a lot less than one might fear. This is 2011, tesa, and H&N is survived, now.

    Hope your results are Negative. Keep us updated. That's why we're here.

    kcass

    Biopsy
    I think it depends. When I had my fine needle biopsy they looked at it right there and new it was SCC. With my neck dissection, I found out the next day.
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #5
    sweetblood22 said:

    Biopsy
    I think it depends. When I had my fine needle biopsy they looked at it right there and new it was SCC. With my neck dissection, I found out the next day.

    Hi teas
    When the doctor takes the biopsy he then will send it off to a pathologist who will examines the tissue and will make the call on the type of cancer it is or is not. It will normally take from 2 to 5 days to get the results back

    I hope this helps
    Hondo
  • Lisa-NasalPharynx
    Lisa-NasalPharynx Member Posts: 9
    #6
    sweetblood22 said:

    Biopsy
    I think it depends. When I had my fine needle biopsy they looked at it right there and new it was SCC. With my neck dissection, I found out the next day.

    Biopsy
    My primary care was so freaked out when she saw the MRI, she basically had me in the coffin! My ENT performed the biopsy a week later, but he told me he was 99.9% SURE it was cancer as soon as he looked at it through the scope in his office. I had to wait a week for the actual biopsy results. My tumor was the size of a quarter.
  • SIRENAF42
    SIRENAF42 Member Posts: 202
    #7
    Lisa-NasalPharynx said:

    Biopsy
    My primary care was so freaked out when she saw the MRI, she basically had me in the coffin! My ENT performed the biopsy a week later, but he told me he was 99.9% SURE it was cancer as soon as he looked at it through the scope in his office. I had to wait a week for the actual biopsy results. My tumor was the size of a quarter.

    Hang in there
    I know its tough to wait, thats the hardest part, the not knowing. My results took longer as the local lab, had to send it to a specialist, mine took 2 weeks to get back. Two very long weeks. We didnt even think "cancer".... we were floored at the diagnoses. But I am now 2 years 5 months cancer free WOOHOOO. Take deep breaths and try, as hard as it is, to distract yourself.

    Sirena
  • ekdennie
    ekdennie Member Posts: 238 Member
    #8
    biopsy results
    tesa,
    my results took two weeks to get back, but that was due to the fact they thought it was benign for my initial biopsy. It took two weeks for my results post surgery as well, and that was because they thought it was low grade...it turned out to be intermediate grade, but they had some initial results for my surgeon while I was still knocked out, such as that it wasn't a different type of tumor and that I had clean margins.
    depending on if the place where you have the biopsy done they may be able to give you initial results right away...but you need to be careful with those results...I was once told that I a cancerous tumor on my face, but it turned out to be precancer in my final path results. and then my initial results said low grade, final results said intermediate. wait for the final results at 2 weeks.
    good luck...I hope it is benign!

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