Lymphoma

This is the first time I am here. Just looking for some advice or recommendations. Next Friday I will be having  axillary lymph nodes removed. I had a PET scan done 2 weeks ago and they discovered 2 lymph nodes enlarged and lit up. I’m scared, do not know what to expect. Any thoughts out there?  

 

Comments

  • po18guy
    po18guy Member Posts: 1,499 Member
    Pre-diagnosis?

    A PET scan seems to indicate that you are ptretty far along in the diagnostic process. Was a CT also done? Symptoms? Remember that you do not have cancer until a pathology report says you have cancer.

  • ShadyGuy
    ShadyGuy Member Posts: 920 Member
    Hang tight

    Just wait to get your results. Po is correct to not jump the gun and assume the worst. And be aware lymphoma is very treatable. You have what you have regardless of what a doctor says. If a patient had cancer only after a doctors diagnosis, there would be no such thing as a false positive or false negative. Doctors are not 100% accurate. I had false negatives before being diagnosed stage IV. That usually occurs with other than biopsies which are usually correct In yes or no to lymphoma. However mistakes in typing biopsies are very common. ALWAYS get a second opinion. ALWAYS!

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,817 Member
    PET

    Welcome to you Chris.

    I agree with what was replied to you above.  Lymphoma is currently about the least fatal of any common cancers, usually very treatable and frequently even "curable."

    You have no cause for panic. Two nodes ?  IF cancerous, a minor, Stage 1 disease.

    There are currently 65 differing types of lymphoma recognized by WHO (the World Health Organization). Five of these are Hodgkin's types (HL), and sixty are non-Hodgkin's (NHL).  Obviously, NHL is much more common.  Prognosis varies dramatically between types, but virtually all are very managable.

    I recall my first CT, which indicated lymphoma.  Totally engulfed, from neck to pelvic region, and across both axillary regions.  Numerous organs "covered up."  Yet even I was rapidly cured.

    You have no cause for panic.  Please ask questions as they occur to you, and I hope the responses are comforting,

    max

  • po18guy
    po18guy Member Posts: 1,499 Member
    Panic cannot help either with or without cancer

    Regardless of my wishes or life plans, I developed a pretty much nightmare medical resumé. Regarding lymphoma, I have been stage IV at least twice, with close to 100 tumors total. Plus Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS), a leukemia precursor marrow cancer caused by treatment. I began with one cancer, an immediate relapse of that same cancer, then two cancers at second relapse, then three cancers simultaneously. And, not just any lymphomas, but two rare and aggressive T-Cell Lymphomas (Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma - Not Otherwise Specified as well as Angioimunoblastic T-Cell Lymphoma). Either has a poor prognosis, and both have an extremely poor prognosis once relapse occurs. Two relapses and two lymphomas? Prognosis worse than abysmal. Recently given a 0.5% chance of surviving all of this. Sound hopeless? Not at all. This began 10 years ago. I remain fat, dumb and happy for the most part, and cancer free.

    When you are in a tunnel, you move toward the distant sliver of light, not the darkness. It may not be fun in the tunnel, but at least you know there is light at the far end. In your case at this point, you only fear that you are in a tunnel. That tunnel may never appear. 

  • ShadyGuy
    ShadyGuy Member Posts: 920 Member
    po18guy said:

    Panic cannot help either with or without cancer

    Regardless of my wishes or life plans, I developed a pretty much nightmare medical resumé. Regarding lymphoma, I have been stage IV at least twice, with close to 100 tumors total. Plus Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS), a leukemia precursor marrow cancer caused by treatment. I began with one cancer, an immediate relapse of that same cancer, then two cancers at second relapse, then three cancers simultaneously. And, not just any lymphomas, but two rare and aggressive T-Cell Lymphomas (Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma - Not Otherwise Specified as well as Angioimunoblastic T-Cell Lymphoma). Either has a poor prognosis, and both have an extremely poor prognosis once relapse occurs. Two relapses and two lymphomas? Prognosis worse than abysmal. Recently given a 0.5% chance of surviving all of this. Sound hopeless? Not at all. This began 10 years ago. I remain fat, dumb and happy for the most part, and cancer free.

    When you are in a tunnel, you move toward the distant sliver of light, not the darkness. It may not be fun in the tunnel, but at least you know there is light at the far end. In your case at this point, you only fear that you are in a tunnel. That tunnel may never appear. 

    No panic

    I saw no signs Chris was in panic mode. Did you? Po you are correct - panic usually does not help any situation. I believe your credentials. 

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,817 Member
    ShadyGuy said:

    No panic

    I saw no signs Chris was in panic mode. Did you? Po you are correct - panic usually does not help any situation. I believe your credentials. 

    Equivalent ?

    Chris stated being "scared" and needing advice. 

    "Scared" is a common reaction, usually involuntary; panic a mode of response -- a common one to substantial fear.  The responses given were putatively reasonable and common-sense in content.

  • ShadyGuy
    ShadyGuy Member Posts: 920 Member
    Panic

    Panic is a sudden sensation of fear, which is so strong as to dominate or prevent reason and logical thinking, replacing it with overwhelming feelings of anxiety and frantic agitation consistent with an animalistic fight-or-flight reaction.

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,817 Member
    ShadyGuy said:

    Panic

    Panic is a sudden sensation of fear, which is so strong as to dominate or prevent reason and logical thinking, replacing it with overwhelming feelings of anxiety and frantic agitation consistent with an animalistic fight-or-flight reaction.

    Corrrect

    Shady,

    Correct, which is why Po and I advise against panic, one of the most common reactions among new arrivals here. There is a rational, de facto reason to presume it is relevent to  a newcomer expressing fear.

    Max

    University Insturctor in Formal [Aristotelian] and Mathematical Logic and Logic Metatheory [in the manner of the term employeed by Bertrand Russell and Alfred North Whitehead], and Boolean Algebra [Boolean in Naval Schools only for computer and digital theory analysis].  

    Any time you want to talk rationality and logic, I'm available via the e-mail feature.

  • ShadyGuy
    ShadyGuy Member Posts: 920 Member
    Good to know

    Sounds like we have we have a lot in common. 

  • lindary
    lindary Member Posts: 711 Member
    Panic

    When I was told of my diagnosis my boss (breast cancer survivor) happened to be standing at my desk. I'll never forget what she told me - "think of this like a project" (we work in IT). "you are in the analysis stage right now.". My response was "I hope it goes better than some of our projects". Still makes me laugh.

    A little over a month ago a co-worker was diagnosed with Stage 4 prostate cancer. He came to talk to me the day after he was told about it. To say he was on edge was to put it mildly. Besides pointing out that he was in shock (he knew that) when he told me his wife was on his case about not having gone to the Dr sooner I told him about Max's "calculation" of 450+ disease per symptom. He shared it with his wife and it did help calm them both down.  I also shared the "project" analogy with him. 

    Laughter is a good medicine. 

  • adonai shammah lumba
    adonai shammah lumba Member Posts: 6
    edited June 2018 #12
    hi

    hi

     

  • adonai shammah lumba
    adonai shammah lumba Member Posts: 6
    edited June 2018 #13
    survivor for 16 years

    happy to find this group. i need someone to confide  on my worries and questions. i have siezures sometimes 7 times a night the next day i shall be on my bed the whole day.