Excisional biopsy today after pos FNA report rt groin

I hope you're doing well.  I'm in a similar situation as you.  Just a few steps behind.  You will find the people here to be very strong and supportive.  I hope that all goes well and the path report comes back negative.  Just ou of curiosity, what lead to the FNA?  Did you have any symptoms leading up to this?  I ask because I have a node in right groin that has been enlarged for months.  Ultrasound says benign but it's still there.  After three months I went back for full blood work and new scans.  I'm awaiting results.  Just wondering what got your doc to suggest in the first place.

Stalyn said:

Bothersome

My hip has been hurting for a long time. Then I noticed it felt like I pulled my groin, which I knew I didn't. 

So ultrasound showed enlarged node, not really big, but borderline. I think it measured 1.6 x1.0....as far as looking abnormal I don't know, that wasn't mentioned. Looked ok to  me. 

Had a CT scan which showed 3 enlarged nodes.....rest of abdominal Ct ok.

So I got a shot of rocephin & 7 days of antibiotics. N still there. Family dr was gonna pass the buck, So I bypassed him & made an appt w a local surgeon. he had an ultrasound machine there in the office and decided he would biopsy it then & there. He didn't look or act like he thought anything was wrong tho. So I was satisfied he was looking into it. 

7 days later I called the office n the nurse says, "there's a note on your chart to come back in n schedule excisional biopsy"

they done it 4days later (yesterday)

the surgeon told us the FNA showed possible lymphoma. But after excision he said it appeared benign to him. Would send it off though. 

from what I understand, pathology is only way to tell. ? 

 

Waiting for results. 

 

Welcome to you, I am glad you found us. I can just imagine how you are feeling right now--really, I can. Waiting for test results is extremely nerve racking, especially when you have already been told some potentially scary news.

First of all I want to assure you that, if you do have lymphoma, it is very treatable and not like other types of cancer. So many advances have been made and lymphomas have been classified into so many catagories, with very targeted therapies for each type. I say this to warn about too much internet reading at this point.

My diagnosis was also in phases. Mine started with an "abnormal" chest xray which was ordered because I was having trouble breathing. That lead to a CT scan (of the chest area) which showed many enlarged lymph nodes. I was told, by my family doctor, because I also had many classic symptoms, that I had lymphoma. (I had no idea what that meant). A more extensive CT scan was ordered along with a needle biopsy which confirmed the diagnosis. That was the point I was referred to a Hemotologist/Oncologist and he ordered an entire (underarm) lymph node removed and biopsied.

That lymph node removal was not for diagnosis of lymphoma, per se, but rather to determine what type of lymphoma I had.

I cannot speak about a surgeon telling you that a biopsy showed "possible lymphoma" but a lymph node "appeared benign".  I can only tell you what my own experience has been.

I will take a moment, however, to emphasize the importance of having someone with you for any and all discussions with doctors (and other medical professionals). Have them write things down. Also ask for copies of all reports, lab tests, pathologies, scans, everything. Everything. Don't be shy about asking. Or have your advocate ask. Or both. As patients, we are often scared and confused, or sedated, and it is very difficult to hear everything correctly, much less remember.

Even now, call the doctor's office and ask for copies of the reports you are worrying about.

Again, welcome to our group. You will find many caring people here who have been there too. Come here as much as you need to or want to.

Many hugs to you,

Rocquie

Stalyn said:

FNA vs excisional biopsy

I'm not exceptional at putting my thoughts into words, but to try n clear up my question here goes.............

lit is my understanding that fine needle aspirations (FNA) done in dr office can yield false negatives but not false positives. 

If you get a positive result, then they take out the whole node for staging. 

 

Is this right?

 

Stalyn, I'm sorry I can't answer your question. I may be wrong, but I think you are making some sweeping generalities here. It seems to me that biopsies could be either false positive OR false negative. Pathologists are humans too and readings can sometimes be very close and difficult. It is not unusual to get second pathology opinions (I had 3). Pathologists themselves often ask for them.

And no, I don't believe the statement that the entire lymph node is removed after a positive biopsy is true either. Sometimes, lymphomas are in places where it is difficult if not impossible to surgically remove.

I really am so, so sorry that you are filled with so much worry on the weekend, when you can't get clarification. You can ask me anything you want and I will answer to the best of my ability and knowdedge.

(((Hugs)))

Rocquie

girliefighter said:

FNA

Stalyn,

I know that my FNA showed possible cancerous cells, but the ENT seemd slightly unconcerned until he did the biopsy of the entire swollen node...But i can tell you he was 100% honest with me in telling me that his knowledge on cancer wasn't that vast, he was a Ear, Nose and Throat specialist not an oncologist, so please bear in mind that this surgeon specializes in removing or repairing body parts and organs not diagnosing diseases. well, unless he has xray vision...lol...

see the fine needle aspiration is such a small sample size that it could or could not contain cancer cells in it while you could or could not have it, they could easily get a small sample from any of us on here who do have cancer and it may show no cells in that tiny area.

keep your chin up and we will hope for the best

XXXOOO

Carie

Stalyn,

After going through and reading the article today, I must agree with Carie's observations here.  The article mentions two or three times that aspiration biopsies are frequentily not accurate, usually because they do not contain a sufficient tissue sample.  This is especially true in rare cancers, or cases where more than one cancer strain is involved.  I was very interested, in that it specified my rare strain of cancer as one that is most commonly got wrong with a limited tissue sample.

It does appear that usually if a sample is insufficient or corrupted, the pathologist will be aware of that himself,  and will tell the oncologist that the test was inconclusive.  On the other hand, if the pathologist comes back and says that the strain is clear and that their is no ambiguity, then I would guess that the test was suitable and sufficient, but I would ask the doctor those questions. 

max

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 said:

Agree

Stalyn,

After going through and reading the article today, I must agree with Carie's observations here.  The article mentions two or three times that aspiration biopsies are frequentily not accurate, usually because they do not contain a sufficient tissue sample.  This is especially true in rare cancers, or cases where more than one cancer strain is involved.  I was very interested, in that it specified my rare strain of cancer as one that is most commonly got wrong with a limited tissue sample.

It does appear that usually if a sample is insufficient or corrupted, the pathologist will be aware of that himself,  and will tell the oncologist that the test was inconclusive.  On the other hand, if the pathologist comes back and says that the strain is clear and that their is no ambiguity, then I would guess that the test was suitable and sufficient, but I would ask the doctor those questions. 

max

Heard anything yet, Stalyn ?

Stalyn said:

Md Anderson

No word still from md Anderson. 

Its been a long weekend. 

 

In all honesty, Stalyn, anyone who got your request at Anderson is most likely on the Links today, getting in some golf, or on the lake.  Few medical people anywhere worry about patients on the weekends, unless they are on duty somewhere.  This is probably especially true of staff asked by a third party for a second opinion. It will be on their back-burner.

Also, most likely they will send their analysis to your doctor, not you directly.  The good news is that at this point, no news is neither good nor bad.

I read what you forwarded regarding the earlier results, and could not readily see how they "disagreed."  The statement about  "small mature lymphatic cells" does not indicate cancer, that I am aware of, but let me stress that I have no medical training. The lymphatic system is ALWAYS full of lymphatic cells, of course.

I hope you hear something promptly Monday morning.  And I hope it is all "benign" in conclusion, again.

max