It's back, so I am too

Sorry about the need to revisit the Board catwink . I too was first diagnosed in 2009, but did not join here until a few years later.

What strain was your initial lymphoma ? Lymphoma usually returns as the same strain, but not always: it can reoccur as virtually any one of the roughly 50 forms of the disease.  Only a biopsy cam determine this. If you have only one 13mm node visible on PET, then if there is any good news in this, it is that the disease of very incipient -- not yet spread about. It might even be treatable with radiation, perhaps with some adjuvant chemo, but that would be determined by strain. Few people are ever diagnosed with only one node involved. Of course it is not confirmed as lymphoma yet; a PET cannot do that.

Please let us know what you learn from the pending tests. I know the timing is not the best a few weeks before Christmas.   Pulling for you,

max

Catwink22, sorry to hear your cancer is back. Especially finding out so close to Christmas. Being clear for like 4 years I think I would be like you. Have a problem and told it is not related to the cancer. Go on your merry way.  As you said "Lesson learned".  Now move forward and fight the monster. 

Two years ago my Dr found a lump in my abdomen. About a week later I heard the word "cancer" for the first time. I decided to not tell my family until all the test were back and I had more details. That happened the day after Christmas. 

It stinks anytime a person finds out they have cancer. Finding out around the holidays always seems to make it worse. All you can do is celebrate the holiday and focus on being with family and friends. The gear up to battle cancer again.  

cat,

I had guessed Follicular, a very indolent (lazy) type.  Several regulars here at the Board have been on maintenance for Follicular for years.  Hopefully it has not morphed into something meaner.  Please share results when they come in, for as I noted, a lot of folks have done "the Follicular thing."

max

Parishhome, 

Your experience is not uncommon here, actually fairly typical.  Your oncologist was describing what is called 'Active Surveillance,' or the older term 'Watchful Waiting.'  It is not really 'doing nothing,' but is better regarded as a sort of strategic timing. Two terms that have a lot of overlap and which are usually clinically related are AS and maintenance.  Often maintenance requires 'taking a break' for effectiveness.  When you received the two years of Rituxan, you were in maintenance, although the doctor may not have used the term with you. Your R-CHOP was your first-line therapy, when you entered partial remission (PR), which was followed with the maintenance protocol.  If a more aggressive treatment were required later, that is termed second-line or salvage treatment, which usually consists of a new chemo group or stem cell transplantation (SCT).   I have no medical training or credentials, and am basing this on the facts you presented in your post.

Linda shared her story regarding it above, and I hope others will also.  I have not ever been under A.S. or maintenance myself, but it was the first recommendation I received when I learned I had prostate cancer a few years ago. But in prostate cancer maintenance consists of hormonal therapy, not chemo.  A.S. is not unsafe or a situation I which your doctor is ignoring you, but the feeling of 'shouldn't we be doing something' is very common and understandable. Lots of regulars here have done well, symptom free, for years or decades on maintenance therapy.  What usually happens is as long as your modes do not grow, you will continue to be monitored.

PROBABLY (I have no way of knowing this) if the nodes do not expand for a year or so, the CTs will be given less frequently, maybe only once a year.  Follicular is highly indolent, or slow-moving, so it does not have to be looked at constantly.  I myself had the most indolent form of Hodgkin's, but it is very rare. Follicular is very common, about 30% of all new NHL cases, and doctor are very familiar with it and what is available to keep it in check.

For prostate cancer, I know a lot of men who have prospered and done well on hormonal therapy maintenance for a decade or longer before other tools were required. HT is used against breast and prostate cancers, but not lymphoma -- I am just illustrating that maintenance has a lot of success in fighting cancers generally.

I wrote this here because is is relevant to Catwink's initial post, but you may want to begin your own thread...They are free !

max 

Parrish,

A "thread" is a discussion topic.  You can create your own topic that will remain focused on you and your issues. When you are logging in, after you select "LYMPHOMA," at the top of the topics, there will be an option to "Create New Forum Topic."  Of course topics and discussions reasonably overlap and wander a bit, but this is the best way to keep replies to you organized for your reference.

max