biopsy

cooter
cooter Member Posts: 12
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

hello to all

     i am a little confused , maybe you can help

 

  i have been told i have SCC .   i have a lump at BOT 3.2  x 3.5 ,

    the pain can get intense , after 2 biopsies nothing found,

       next was a FNA of lymph nodes in the neck .

         still nothing . i am scheduled for another biopsy 

           this week , i started seeing a ENT 2 i/2 months ago 

            i still dont have any answers .

               antiboitics seem to help quite alot ,

any help greatly appreciated 

 

 

         

 

 

Comments

  • nino5
    nino5 Member Posts: 29
    #2
    same here cooter

    I'm so confused too.  My doctor ordered a MRI and he found something suspicious in my lymphnodes and the base of tongue then

    He decided to to the biopsy still waiting for the results.   15 days waiting and nothing i just called them.  I think he doesn't have any experience dealing with this stuff. 

    I have pain too, difficult eating,  drinking.  It looks like he's ignoring my symptoms o maybe he thinks I'm making this up.  I'm so frustrated and confused.  I don't know what's going up with me but almost one year with this  isn't normal.  

     

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #3
    welcome

    cooter,

    Welcome to the H&N forum, sorry that you are here.

    How was your SCC confirmed and by whom?  In most of the H&N members, a biopsy which confirms cancer is found.  So far, you have not had a positive biopsy, which often happens with a FNA, but you are scheduled for another try at a big confirmation (something  I hope you do not have).

    For now I guess you just have to wait.  If it turns out to be cancer, they will help you set a plan for treatment.

    I was stage IVa, scc, bot, 1 lymph node, hpv+ (surgery, rads & Erbitux) and I had NO pain, just a lump on neck.

    Matt

  • cooter
    cooter Member Posts: 12
    edited August 2016 #4
    nino5 said:

    same here cooter

    I'm so confused too.  My doctor ordered a MRI and he found something suspicious in my lymphnodes and the base of tongue then

    He decided to to the biopsy still waiting for the results.   15 days waiting and nothing i just called them.  I think he doesn't have any experience dealing with this stuff. 

    I have pain too, difficult eating,  drinking.  It looks like he's ignoring my symptoms o maybe he thinks I'm making this up.  I'm so frustrated and confused.  I don't know what's going up with me but almost one year with this  isn't normal.  

     

    nino5

    nino5 

      that seem like a long wait , i belive i waited less than 1 week on the first .

         and 1 week on the second , same here with the eating and drinking , i went 2 days with out eating ,

          my PCP gave me antiboitics and muccinex, that dried up the stickey muccous to let the food pass easier 

            stay tough my friend !

  • cooter
    cooter Member Posts: 12
    edited August 2016 #5
    CivilMatt said:

    welcome

    cooter,

    Welcome to the H&N forum, sorry that you are here.

    How was your SCC confirmed and by whom?  In most of the H&N members, a biopsy which confirms cancer is found.  So far, you have not had a positive biopsy, which often happens with a FNA, but you are scheduled for another try at a big confirmation (something  I hope you do not have).

    For now I guess you just have to wait.  If it turns out to be cancer, they will help you set a plan for treatment.

    I was stage IVa, scc, bot, 1 lymph node, hpv+ (surgery, rads & Erbitux) and I had NO pain, just a lump on neck.

    Matt

    civilmatt

    my ENT looked down my throat said 99% sure you have SCC.

      after 2 biopsies and FNA , he tapped out and sent me to U of M hospital ann arbor MI

        the ENT there said she was sure i have SCC . later this week we will try it again .

      thanks . its been a journey so far , and i aint seen nothin yet .

  • wmc
    wmc Member Posts: 1,804
    #6
    Welcome to H&N group

    Welcome and sorry, you "Might need to be here".  Now if your ENT looked down your throat with mirrors or even better a scope and say something and then said he was pretty sure, something is just not right. SCC is flat cells the same a skin cancer and if he saw something he could have gotten a sample. My lung doctor found my tumor just above my vocal cords. He would not do a biopsy because he was afraid they could not stop the bleeding and I was at a hospital. He did a brushing of the tumor and when I woke up he said I have cancer and showed me the pictures. The brushing came back positive and I was then sent to the hospital I wanted. You might have a tumor and it is not cancer. Not all tumors are. Lymph glands swell when we have infections as that is their job. I'm no doctor, and mine was not BOT, but most tumors/cancer doesn't have pain tell the very late stages. They thought I was T4; N2 going into surgery which is stage 4 and I never had pain there. I would get an earache and I coughed lots of blood, but no pain.  Also, antibiotics don't really help cancer. I would suggest a second opinion.

    Bill

     

  • cooter
    cooter Member Posts: 12
    #7
    wmc said:

    Welcome to H&N group

    Welcome and sorry, you "Might need to be here".  Now if your ENT looked down your throat with mirrors or even better a scope and say something and then said he was pretty sure, something is just not right. SCC is flat cells the same a skin cancer and if he saw something he could have gotten a sample. My lung doctor found my tumor just above my vocal cords. He would not do a biopsy because he was afraid they could not stop the bleeding and I was at a hospital. He did a brushing of the tumor and when I woke up he said I have cancer and showed me the pictures. The brushing came back positive and I was then sent to the hospital I wanted. You might have a tumor and it is not cancer. Not all tumors are. Lymph glands swell when we have infections as that is their job. I'm no doctor, and mine was not BOT, but most tumors/cancer doesn't have pain tell the very late stages. They thought I was T4; N2 going into surgery which is stage 4 and I never had pain there. I would get an earache and I coughed lots of blood, but no pain.  Also, antibiotics don't really help cancer. I would suggest a second opinion.

    Bill

     

    thanks wmc

      im heading to a university hospital for this next biopsy , hoping to get results by monday .

        thanks for the info and positive outlook ! 

  • Barbaraek
    Barbaraek Member Posts: 626
    #8
    Cooter

    love your profile picture, very beautiful!

    i hope you don't really have to be here...but if the diagnosis of SCC is confirmed, you found the best support group there is. having the information and support available from this forum was invaluable to me as I helped care for my husband during his fight with cancer last year. We are now one year out and doing pretty well aside from severe dry mouth, teeth issues and some fatigue. We picked up lots if great advice here and tons of encouragement.

    Going to a university based larger hospital is most likely a good move. Hopefully you will get some answers soon and get going on a plan.

    Barbara

  • cooter
    cooter Member Posts: 12
    edited August 2016 #9
    thanks barbara

      I agree 100% ,    this group is been a big help already and i am very new here

          glad to hear you all are doing  pretty well .

             went to university hospital yesterday for another biopsy they got the breathing 

         tube on the first try , the last ENT was with , he tried 7 times with no luck , he  gave it to anestsia guy and  he got it after the 4th try ,   

    i do belive im in better hands thank you 

              

     

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