Fine Needle Aspiration

Heavenleah
Heavenleah Member Posts: 31
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Hey all again. I just have a quick question. I have an appointment for a Fine Needle Aspiration of my Lymph Node on Thursday. When I try to look it up in google, I get several different responses as to what to expect. Do they put me to sleep? Is it just a local numbing agent? How long will I be there after its done? Is it done then I leave immediately or do I have to stay for several hours? Will I be able to drive? Is it painful?

Thanks for the help!
Jennifer
«1

Comments

  • Heavenleah
    Heavenleah Member Posts: 31
    #2
    also
    also a question on radiation therapy. I see alot of you saying youve completed 33 sessions. Is 33 sessions one day a week for 33 weeks or 5 a week for 6-7 weeks? Im not really certain what a session is, and how long radiation and chemo take.
  • KTeacher
    KTeacher Member Posts: 1,103
    #3
    Biopsy
    I just had a fine needle biopsy a few weeks ago. Mine was guided by an ultrasound. It took an hour. They numb the area, you will feel a sting with the numbing and then pressure when they put the needle in. After the fact, I was glad that my sister drove me.
    Take tylenol after, and ice the area. You will be sore but not unbearable. You leave after, results could take up to a week. Good luck to you.
  • arndog64
    arndog64 Member Posts: 537
    #4
    Heavenleah said:

    also
    also a question on radiation therapy. I see alot of you saying youve completed 33 sessions. Is 33 sessions one day a week for 33 weeks or 5 a week for 6-7 weeks? Im not really certain what a session is, and how long radiation and chemo take.

    Some have radiation once a
    Some have radiation once a day for 7 weeks (weekends off) and some (like my husband) go twice a day (same dosage just split in half) for seven weeks. Chemo is different for everyone, my husband took 4-6 hours some days. I can't help with the aspiration. Maybe someone else will chime in. Have you been diagnsed yet?
  • KTeacher
    KTeacher Member Posts: 1,103
    #5
    Heavenleah said:

    also
    also a question on radiation therapy. I see alot of you saying youve completed 33 sessions. Is 33 sessions one day a week for 33 weeks or 5 a week for 6-7 weeks? Im not really certain what a session is, and how long radiation and chemo take.

    Radiation
    My radiation was Monday through Friday for 7 weeks. They monitor you. I did not have chemo.
  • akbear49
    akbear49 Member Posts: 51
    #6
    Heavenleah said:

    also
    also a question on radiation therapy. I see alot of you saying youve completed 33 sessions. Is 33 sessions one day a week for 33 weeks or 5 a week for 6-7 weeks? Im not really certain what a session is, and how long radiation and chemo take.

    Just Finished
    The fine needle aspiration is relatively painless. My doc did it while his nurse basically held my hand. He had to repeat the procedure a few times before he was happy with the results. It took less than 30 minutes for the whole visit. Be warned though that there is a possibility your doc can miss any cancer and just get fat cells - that happened to me. A CT scan and an actual biopsy confirmed the inital diagnosis of tongue and lymph node cancer.

    I had to go through 35 radiation treatments. You can expect each session to last around 30 minutes - the majority of the time you are visiting with the radiation techs and gettings ready for the actual radiation. My actual "tanning" session lasted under 15 minutes. They are usually scheduled Monday thru Friday unless there is a holiday and you get a day off but like with school snow days you will have to make up that day at the end.

    I also had 3 Cisplatin chemo sessions of about 4 1/2 hours each. They were equally spaced out over the 7 weeks of radiation

    Expect your neck skin to dry out. I used the Lupriderm available at the clinic at first, switched to prescription Silvadene which didn't work for me, switched to 100% Aloe with no alcohol or Lidocane - that really helped and then back to Lupriderm in the last 2 weeks.

    I also faithfully rinsed my mouth with warm water, salt and baking soda and never suffered the extra sore throat pain you may have read about. I do have a mild sore throat and mouth sores but never needed a feeding tube or pain meds. Docs and nurses told me that salt water inhibits the growth of bacteria.

    I tried Biotene mouth wash and wasn't impressed

    I was pretty sick after the first round of chemo and decided to take my anti nausea meds ahead of symptoms after that. I didn't wait to feel nauseous I just assumed I would be - that worked for me. But I did have to lay down a few times after rounds 2 and 3 which helped to settle my very upset stomach.

    Good luck and remember - we are all different - what worked for me may not work for you so don't be afraid to try different things
  • akbear49
    akbear49 Member Posts: 51
    #7
    Heavenleah said:

    also
    also a question on radiation therapy. I see alot of you saying youve completed 33 sessions. Is 33 sessions one day a week for 33 weeks or 5 a week for 6-7 weeks? Im not really certain what a session is, and how long radiation and chemo take.

    Just Finished
    oops - hit post twice and don't know how to delete this
  • Heavenleah
    Heavenleah Member Posts: 31
    #8
    KTeacher said:

    Biopsy
    I just had a fine needle biopsy a few weeks ago. Mine was guided by an ultrasound. It took an hour. They numb the area, you will feel a sting with the numbing and then pressure when they put the needle in. After the fact, I was glad that my sister drove me.
    Take tylenol after, and ice the area. You will be sore but not unbearable. You leave after, results could take up to a week. Good luck to you.

    Thank you
    Thank you all. To answer the first question, I have been diagnosed with a mass in the right side of my neck, lymphnode swollen and hard, right tonsil very enlarged. ENT dr told me hes 90% certain its cancer. He said just doing the biopsy to confirm. Ive read and been told you really cant tell if its cancer by looking so im curious how hes 90% certain, unless hes just been doing this for so long, hes that much of a pro. lol. I really dont know.

    I appreciate the info on the session information and the FNA info. I will make sure someone drives me. I have tons of tylenol on hand as the dr wont let me take anything but tylenol right now, for fear of the bleed effect.


    I want to thank everyone again. Without you all, I dont know where my mind would be right now.
  • Kent Cass
    Kent Cass Member Posts: 1,898 Member
    #9
    Heavenleah said:

    Thank you
    Thank you all. To answer the first question, I have been diagnosed with a mass in the right side of my neck, lymphnode swollen and hard, right tonsil very enlarged. ENT dr told me hes 90% certain its cancer. He said just doing the biopsy to confirm. Ive read and been told you really cant tell if its cancer by looking so im curious how hes 90% certain, unless hes just been doing this for so long, hes that much of a pro. lol. I really dont know.

    I appreciate the info on the session information and the FNA info. I will make sure someone drives me. I have tons of tylenol on hand as the dr wont let me take anything but tylenol right now, for fear of the bleed effect.


    I want to thank everyone again. Without you all, I dont know where my mind would be right now.

    Needle Biopsy-
    I believe that's the simpler term it was called back in the old days. My first ENT did it twice to me on my first office visit with him. Think he just swabbed alcohol on it. Didn't hurt- just a pressure thing. Drove myself to and from, and was no big deal. Kinda like just getting a couple syringe-type shots in the neck, but without getting any medicine shot into one. You'll handle it okay.

    The results of my needle biopsy were inconclusive. Took a regular Biopsy Op to get a result that confirmed it was C.

    kcass
  • Jimbo55
    Jimbo55 Member Posts: 590 Member
    #10
    Fine Needle Aspiration
    They used a numbing agent, I didn't feel a thing. The whole procedure took maybe 5-10 minutes. Painless and, as Kent Cass put it, no big deal.

    I had 35 rads over 7 weeks, Tuesday - Saturday. Chemo (Cistplatin) was given 3 times, week 1, 4 & 7.

    Each rad treatment was about 15-20 minutes, usually 4-5 songs from a CD I would bring with to listen to during treatment. Normally I was in and out of the hospital in about 1 hour all told.

    The chemo injection was about 4 - 4.5 hours. They would first hook me up to an IV with saline solution, then run the chemo, and continue the IV drip for 2-3 days afterward. They will encourage you to drink more water than you believe is possible. Their main concern is to prevent damage to the kidneys from the chemo, thus the IV drip and drinking more and more water to help flush the chemo through the kidneys.

    Stay strong and Cheers.

    Jimbo
  • Kaylee-parotid
    Kaylee-parotid Member Posts: 16
    #11
    Hi Leah, I just had one
    Hi Leah, I just had one yesterday on my thyroid. No local anaesthetic, and it was quite painless. It was guided by ultrasound, and took maybe 15 mins. I was absolutely fine afterwards, but they suggested a bit of ice and pressure on the area, which I did, thanks to my scarf and some ice from Subway, for my 3 hour drive home! All the best for yours.
  • Greend
    Greend Member Posts: 678
    #12
    Kaylee-parotid said:

    Hi Leah, I just had one
    Hi Leah, I just had one yesterday on my thyroid. No local anaesthetic, and it was quite painless. It was guided by ultrasound, and took maybe 15 mins. I was absolutely fine afterwards, but they suggested a bit of ice and pressure on the area, which I did, thanks to my scarf and some ice from Subway, for my 3 hour drive home! All the best for yours.

    The mask
    Leah,

    As I recall the daily x-ray treatments went fast after they started. In my case they hit me from three different angles each session. You will probably have a mask made that they use to hold you to the table. This is to prevent head movement so the rays hit where they want. In addition I had a very small "dot" tattoo on my upper chest, lower neck that they use to line up the beam. The mask is made from a mesh material and they heat (warm) it up and mold it to your face. After treatments are done they give it to youi. Also somewhere on here people recommended a tooth guard to help prevent scatter of x-rays. I didn't do that but wish I had. Maybe someone can find that chat.

    Hang in there.
  • ratface
    ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
    #13
    Greend said:

    The mask
    Leah,

    As I recall the daily x-ray treatments went fast after they started. In my case they hit me from three different angles each session. You will probably have a mask made that they use to hold you to the table. This is to prevent head movement so the rays hit where they want. In addition I had a very small "dot" tattoo on my upper chest, lower neck that they use to line up the beam. The mask is made from a mesh material and they heat (warm) it up and mold it to your face. After treatments are done they give it to youi. Also somewhere on here people recommended a tooth guard to help prevent scatter of x-rays. I didn't do that but wish I had. Maybe someone can find that chat.

    Hang in there.

    Skip the needle aspiration
    And have the ENT schedule you for surgery and do a real biopsy. FNA's are worthless so why put yourself through it. The ENT already knows he is going to do surgery for the biopsy. It can come back positive, negative, and inconclusive and all of them will have to be verified with a surgical biopsy. Why spend a week on pins and needles needlessly. The negative and inconclusive mean absolutely nothing because of their error rate. A positive is probable cause to look further and he/she is going there anyway. Save yourself the aggravation. My first needle aspiration came back negative.
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #14
    FNA & RADS
    I originally was to have a needle biopsy of the swollen lymphnode, but when he (ENT) took the tonsils out and did a quick biopsy, it was confirmed STGIII SCC, he didn't see a need, it was already confirmed cancer.

    As for the RADS, I had concurrent with weekly Carboplatin and 35 daily rads.

    Like mentioned the mask was with the rads, kind of freaky at first... I had Xanax prescribed to me. It got me thru the first week, after that I as used to it and no longer had the anxiety.

    Best,
    John
  • Heavenleah
    Heavenleah Member Posts: 31
    #15
    Skiffin16 said:

    FNA & RADS
    I originally was to have a needle biopsy of the swollen lymphnode, but when he (ENT) took the tonsils out and did a quick biopsy, it was confirmed STGIII SCC, he didn't see a need, it was already confirmed cancer.

    As for the RADS, I had concurrent with weekly Carboplatin and 35 daily rads.

    Like mentioned the mask was with the rads, kind of freaky at first... I had Xanax prescribed to me. It got me thru the first week, after that I as used to it and no longer had the anxiety.

    Best,
    John

    pill for radiation?
    My friend just told me she took one pill, one time, for her radiation. She had thyroid cancer. Ive never heard of this....any info? She also didnt do one bit of chemo... This doesnt sound thorough....
  • ratface
    ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
    #16
    Heavenleah said:

    pill for radiation?
    My friend just told me she took one pill, one time, for her radiation. She had thyroid cancer. Ive never heard of this....any info? She also didnt do one bit of chemo... This doesnt sound thorough....

    The Pill
    contains radioactive iodine? Is your cancer thyroid or head and neck?
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #17
    ratface said:

    The Pill
    contains radioactive iodine? Is your cancer thyroid or head and neck?

    Heavenleah, thyroid cancer
    Heavenleah, thyroid cancer and head and neck cancer are not treated the same at all. Thyroid cancer is a different ball of wax. The friends I know that have been treated for thyroid have had a much easier time through treatment. I know two that had surgery and four that swallowed the pill. None of them had any lymph node involvement at all.
  • jim and i
    jim and i Member Posts: 1,788 Member
    #18
    ratface said:

    Skip the needle aspiration
    And have the ENT schedule you for surgery and do a real biopsy. FNA's are worthless so why put yourself through it. The ENT already knows he is going to do surgery for the biopsy. It can come back positive, negative, and inconclusive and all of them will have to be verified with a surgical biopsy. Why spend a week on pins and needles needlessly. The negative and inconclusive mean absolutely nothing because of their error rate. A positive is probable cause to look further and he/she is going there anyway. Save yourself the aggravation. My first needle aspiration came back negative.

    Ratface, I agree that the
    Ratface, I agree that the needle adpiration is not real acurate but as in my husbands case, the Insurance required it before they would approve the PET.
  • Heavenleah
    Heavenleah Member Posts: 31
    #19
    sweetblood22 said:

    Heavenleah, thyroid cancer
    Heavenleah, thyroid cancer and head and neck cancer are not treated the same at all. Thyroid cancer is a different ball of wax. The friends I know that have been treated for thyroid have had a much easier time through treatment. I know two that had surgery and four that swallowed the pill. None of them had any lymph node involvement at all.

    aha
    I gotcha. She has thyroid cancer, my tumor is in my tonsil. I cant get her kind of treatment then...That really sucks. Thought that was an easy way out! lol THanks for the info sweetblood.
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #20
    Heavenleah said:

    aha
    I gotcha. She has thyroid cancer, my tumor is in my tonsil. I cant get her kind of treatment then...That really sucks. Thought that was an easy way out! lol THanks for the info sweetblood.

    Yeah, sorry. Our treatment
    Yeah, sorry. Our treatment can be pretty brutal. :(
  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    #21
    ratface said:

    Skip the needle aspiration
    And have the ENT schedule you for surgery and do a real biopsy. FNA's are worthless so why put yourself through it. The ENT already knows he is going to do surgery for the biopsy. It can come back positive, negative, and inconclusive and all of them will have to be verified with a surgical biopsy. Why spend a week on pins and needles needlessly. The negative and inconclusive mean absolutely nothing because of their error rate. A positive is probable cause to look further and he/she is going there anyway. Save yourself the aggravation. My first needle aspiration came back negative.

    Ratface
    I too agree, if it is cancer they will have a hard time getting enough to tell if it is cancer and what kind because cancer is solid. If it is liquid like it is more than likely not cancer but they will be unsure. It also add a delay in having the real biopsy.

    Time to save money and time.

    John

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