Cancer :: Invasive Squamous Cell Carcinoma Of Lip
Just diagnosed, surgery this coming week. Anyone have experience with this? Don't feel confident in doctors, have lots of questions.
View 1 RepliesSkin Cancer :: Merkel Cell Carcinoma Diagnoses
My husband was just diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancer of the skin called Merkel Cell Carcinoma on his forehead. It was seen previously by our family physician who thought it was just a cyst.
He has received a wide excision of the tumour, but they did not do a SLNB ( sentinel lymph node biopsy).
Though we've been told the borders are clear, from all the research we have been reading, a lymph node biopsy is recommended for accurate staging of the disease and better survival. We are currently awaiting an appointment with an oncologist at Juravinski Cancer Centre in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
We'd love to hear from anyone with information regarding Canadian expertise in this area and failing that, any info. or recommendations to clinics known for their knowledge in treating this. There are many doctors who just don't know anything about it and we are searching for the doctor with experience treating MCC. We are already behind because the plastic surgeon didn't automatically forward the initial biopsy report to our family physician and we went back to the office to request a follow-up with the Cancer Clinic. In the meantime, we hope we will hear soon from Juravinski, since we'd like to get going if he's to do that biopsy and any radiation follow-up treatment.
Skin Cancer :: Basal Cell Carcinoma On Face
Definitely have the Mohs procedure done and not radiation on the face. I had it just done, they had to cut the size of a nickel out, and did a skin graft over. But it's gone, and over. I am healing now.
New to the forum..and quite frankly this is all still a bit surreal to me. I was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma on my face above my lip. I never knew it was cancer and initially, when it first appeared on my face (when I was 18!), I thought it was a huge pimple. Eventually it healed into a flesh toned bump and it looked like a raised flesh colored mole, about 0.3 cm in its largest surface dimension.
This whole time I thought it was a poorly healed acne spot and now that I am 24, I decided to go see a dermatologist to have this removed (for cosmetic reasons). He ended up sending it to get biopsied to be safe and it ended up being cancer!
Now, I'm torn between doing Mohs or proceeding with radiation. Since it was in my face for 6 years, I'm afraid maybe the root grew deeper into my skin and they would have to cut out more tissue. All the Google images of post Mohs surgeries look so scary and I'm beginning to feel a bit traumatized that I'll have to go through this on my face.
Can anyone weigh in on how their Mohs surgery/scar healed? If they were to cut out a dime-sized area on your face, would they stitch you up after or would they leave it as an open wound and let it heal that way? What are the implications of how they close the surgery on the scar you are left with afterward? How many days/weeks do you have to wait for the open wound to start looking like a healing scar?
Because of this, I almost want to proceed with radiation so that I don't have to deal with waiting weeks for the scar to heal (I work full time in an office and enjoy going out to hang out in my leisure time, I would not want to be out if I had an open wound healing on my face). I like that it's less invasive and I know that they won't be cutting out a huge part of my face. What worries me about Mohs is that I won't know how big of a chunk they'll be taking off my face. I know Mohs is the gold standard for removing all of the cancer, but radiation treatments can have up to 95%-98% cure rate. IF my basal cell were to recur after proceeding with radiation treatments, would it recur in the same place or would it pop up somewhere else on my face? How does recurrence usually work with basal cell carcinoma?
Thyroid Cancer :: Papillary Carcinoma - Hypoechoic Mass Lesion?
A few months back my Dr was checking my thyroid - said it felt soft - sent me for blood tests (MANY hypothyroid symptoms!) (which were ok - TSH only 1.1) and an ultrasound which showed a small 8x7x7mm hypoechoic mass lesion on the lower left lobe of my thyroid. I had a FNA biopsy two weeks ago, today actually, and already found out last Friday that 2 of the 3 pathologists said they can't say what it isn't but to remove it asap and the 3rd said absolutely consistent with papillary carcinoma and to remove it asap as well... so now I am just waiting to have it removed. My Dr absolutely agrees and said get it out! He said depending how bad it is they will decide whether they just remove the mass but will possibly remove the whole thyroid... do they end up doing two surgeries or do they get in there and see its worse then they thought and make the decision right then and there? He explained it is THE cancer to have - although no one wants any cancer... that it is very treatable etc. I'm just stressed and wondering about the whole thing. Is it normal to have normal thyroid levels but have PC?
View 3 RepliesMental Health :: Lump Behind Ear - Brain Tumor?
I have a small hard lump behind my ear and I'm terrified it's something awful like a brain tumor... Does anyone else have this or know what it could be?
View 4 RepliesPituitary Disorders :: Prolactin Levels But No Tumor?
I'm a 30 year old active female with a history of prolactin/pituitary problems.
- When I was 17 I was diagnosed with a pituitary macro adenoma. I responded well to cabergoline so no surgery was carried out to shrink the tumour.
- When I was 19 my MRI showed a small bleed to the tumour which caused it to shrink completely.
- when I was 21 I was taken off cabergoline and my prolactin levels remained normal for a few years.
- when I was 25 I noticed familiar symptoms, breast discharge and fatigue so went back to my consultant. My prolactin levels creeped back into the abnormal range and I was put back on cabergoline. MRI showed no tumour.
- 3 months back into treatment I found that cabergoline was making me incredibly tired and low so my consultant switched me to Quinagolide (norprolac) which worked and gave me no nasty side effects.
- I'm now 30years old and last year my consultant and I thought it was time to stop medication as my prolactin levels remained in the normal 300 mark. 2 weeks after coming off my medication I noticed my moods changed significantly and my sex drive vanished. I went back for immediate blood tests and my prolactin levels had raised up to 700! I went back on Quinagolide to reduce the levels and once again felt OK.
- I recently had another MRI to see if there had been any changes. My MRI was once again clear.
I'm incredibly frustrated and gutted to still be taking medication for something that I simply don't understand. Why are my prolactin levels continuing to rise yet I no longer have a pituitary tumour!? I go back to see my consultant in a couple of weeks but I fear that nothing will change and I will continue to treat a problem rather than get to the bottom of the cause.
Brain/Pituitary Tumors :: Parapharyngeal Space Tumor (pps)
This is all very new to me so I hope I'm doing this right but I'm just looking for some reassurance. I'm 26 years old and was diagnosed with a parapharyngeal space tumour in late 2012. 2013 my surgeon attempted to remove the tumor by cutting my jaw and going through the back of my throat into the pps, unfortunately he was unsuccessful and didn't remove any of the tumor. We decided to monitor it over two years and see if a change in growth was noted. I should mention that for the last 4 years I've had pain in my left ear and face which has been gradually worsening, and around 10 months ago I lost hearing in the same ear which is now joined by a high pitched ringing. A mri in early December 2015 showed a growth in tumor so my surgeon decided to remove it, however he would need to take a wider approach to ensure he would get the tumor this time, he is concerned that it's involved with my lower cranial nerves so we may need to remove or damage them which would greatly alter my quality of life. Currently I'm looking at other options or other ENT over the world for more opinions.im desperate to find someone else who has been through something similar or if anyone has a suggestion of surgeon or alternative treatments. They are unsure the nature of my tumor so time is of the essence for me. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have a 1 year old baby who I need to be around for to watch grow up.
View 1 RepliesMen :: Lump Inside Anus - Polyp? Hemorrhoid? Tumor Or STD?
A few weeks ago while cleaning myself in the shower I discovered hard lump inside my anus. I suppose that it is on my sphincter because it is not very far into the anus. I was able to look at it upon closer inspection with a mirror and what I see is something about the size of a grain of sand and it is light in color. Is this a polyp? A tumor? I'm so scared of this because my mom recently died of colon cancer at age 57. I don't really have any other symptoms, although a few weeks ago I did see bright blood on wiping (but I think that was probably caused from chafing since I shaved back there the day before). There MAY be another similar lump a little farther up, but I'm unable to see it in a mirror.
Also, I have had unprotected anal sex in the past (with the same partner) but the last time I did that was April 2013. The person I did it with was tested for std's beforehand.
Nasal Basal Cell Carcinoma Removal
I have recently undergone 12 weeks of trauma, including 4 operations under general anaesthetic for a basal cell carcinoma on the side of my nose. It is a legacy from one I had removed 10 years ago, which wasn't totally removed. I went to my GP last year about this lump and she said it was just scar tissue. In February I felt uneasy about this and went back and she referred me to the Maxillofacial Department at our local hospital. I saw the Consultant on 12th May, 5 days after I buried my Dad and my feet never hit the ground until my final op. on 27th July. I had a paramedian skin flap op. where they take a vein from your forehead attached to the skin graft and attach it to your nose for 5 weeks then snip the bit outside and and put the vein back in with a couple of stitches. I am still in a bit of shock at the speed this was all done and I was wondering if anyone out there has had this done this way.
View 2 RepliesBasal Cell Carcinoma :: Ellipse Excision VS. Electrodesiccation?
I have two options: Ellipse Excision (most invasive) and Curettage and Electrodesiccation (least invasive). Derm says with C and D she is not able to tell me if after the surgery all basal cell carcinoma are removed as there is no pathology testing. I'm nervous thinking about what I want the most. Has anyone on the Cancer board had either of these two surgeries. If so, which one was most successful?
View 1 RepliesOvarian Cancer :: Survival Rates For Ovarian Cancer?
What are the survival rates for ovarian cancer?This discussion is related to Ovarian Cancer.
View 1 RepliesHpv/cervical Cancer?!
In august 2015 I went to the dr for a routine visit, the results of my pap showed abnormal cells and hpv. The doctor decided since I was due for my annual physical within the next few months that we would wait and check everything then. Unfortunately I haven't been able to get back to the office and have been having other symptoms. Everytime my partner and I have sex I bleed afterwards, sometimes it can last 1-2 days. It is not as heavy as menstrual bleeding but does require a panty liner/pad and I have a constant dull pain.
View 1 RepliesOvarian Cancer Recurrence
Two days ago my CA125 marker went from 14 at my last two month check up to 68.5. My dr says this is a significant rise in tumor marker. I have been in remission for 4 and a half months. Where does ovarian cancer spread to and how? Initially I had 7 hour surgery and they said they got all the cancer. I had 6 months of chemo and I feel fine. I don't understand and am scared.
View 8 RepliesCancer :: Lump On My Tibia
I have had a lump on my tibia for about 3 months now. I first noticed it as my leg was sore at night when I rolled over one night. I started to stretch it at night before I went to sleep and after 4 days it went, but the lump didn't but I pushed it aside. Until 2 weeks ago when I had to go to the doctor about my back I decided to bring up the lump cause it was still there. No pain at all this whole time didn't relies me leg was swollen. She felt it and said its firm so she sent me for an ultrasound. While I was getting it done the lady felt the lump on my leg but couldn't see anything on the screen. she went and got one of the doctors there and he said the same thing they could see my leg was swollen, and they could feel the lump but couldn't see anything. He said to me to keep an eye on it and if it gets bigger have an mri done on it. I went back to my doctor, she sent me for a x-ray. X-ray come back they said there was no abnormalities, but they requested for me to have a mri done. There are two white/grey spots on my xray not on the bone tho not on the tissues but if this make sense there near the edge of the shadow of my scan. I cant remember exactly what my doc said. I cant afford to get a mri I will eventually get it down its just the last 2 nights and today I've had pain and a bit on pin and needles on my foot and leg. Same leg where the lump is. It started 2 nights ago I got out of the shower and my leg felt weird, it felt tight when I walked on it and I bit tingly and I kept getting a hot flush on it.The next day it was fine till that night again got out of the shower and I had pain and sharp jabs from my thigh to my foot and I dull ache in my leg. and I was fine and all of a sudden I felt really sick so I sat down and watched tv for a bit and it went. Today my knee has been sore half the day bending down and walking its fine now tho.. My leg dose feel heavier than the other when I stretch or lift my leg up. Could all they pain and problems have something to do with the lump? My gut is telling me something is wrong, My mum has cancer and it terminal not in the leg or bone anything hers is the liver,bowel and shes had it in the cervix
View 2 RepliesWhat Are The Symptoms Of Bladder Cancer
Painless hematuria can be intermittently reduced or stopped by itself. So it can give a wrong impression to patients that it has been cured or turned better. A minority of bladder cancer sufferers have symptoms of increased frequency of urination, urgent urinate and painful urination.It seems to be suffering from cystitis, but antibiotic is useless. A small number of bladder cancer sufferers don't have gross hematuria but overproof of erythrocyte under microscope, namely microscopic hematuria. Therefore, patients with painless hematuria or "cystitis" which cannot be cured and microscopic hematuria should be vigilant and receive timely treatment. Doctors need to consider seriously and do complete inspection for patients, otherwise it would be easily misdiagnosed as urolithiasis, infection or prostate plasia and delay or mistreatment of opportunity.
Incidence of bladder cancer is relatively low of all malignant tumors, but the most common for carcinomas of urinary system and especially for the elderly. The most common symptom of bladder cancer is insensate gross hematuria. It is a sign for paroria. Almost every bladder cancer sufferer have the symptom and 85%; sufferers need to be treated for it. When suffering from prostatitis, the herbal pill like diuretic and anti-inflammatory pill works effectively.
Cancer :: Started MTX And Headaches
Started MTX couple of weeks ago. How long do these headaches last?
View 4 RepliesProstate Cancer, IBS, And Viagra?
I am 59 years young, and I have IBS and prostate cancer. I will be starting my prostate cancer treatments the last week of October and my doctor prescribed me Viagra that I am supposed to take beginning the week before my treatment begins. I don't have a lot of money (the treatment is taking every bit of my HSA) and he told me there were places I could buy it and save some money, as I'm going to be working a lot less during the treatments. Also, I am wondering if anyone has taken Viagra and if it affected your IBS at all?
View 1 RepliesColon Cancer Or Just Hemorrhoids?
I am 25 years old and turn 26 in January. I am 179cm tall and weight around 65. I am wondering if my symptoms are Colon Cancer or is just a long therm Hemorrhoids. I got symptoms for Hemorrhoids when I was at early 19. Which was itching and not be able to sit still, small clumps which is symptoms for External Hemorrhoids. My doctor asked me to take a look at my anus at that time, but I am very shy and don't like others to peek at my private locations on my body so I told him not to. There was extremely little amount of blood(almost none) on the toilet papers. Sometimes there was blood and sometimes none, but the itching and irritation was always there and the pain around the anus.
I got Scheriproct suppositories and ointment which I used few times, but after one bowel movement when everything looks fine I usually quit using them and then after few weeks or months the symptoms returned. Itching and irritation, blood on stool following up. It got worse over the years and I never thought so much about it as I started to get used to it..
The blood was always fresh red and I was always in pain around anus after a bowel movement. Few times I lost so much blood that I got fever and ended up in bed. The last time I got fever, I decided to not just let it pass again so I started to search online for information and then came across about Colon Cancer and its symptoms.. I am still a person who is very shy and don't like others to take a look at my private locations on my body unless it is my girlfriend. I don't always get fever, happened few times, but there were still blood on my stools.. Dripping down and kinda like blood smeared on the poop and not mixed within the poop.
I still had prescription for two packs of Scheriproct suppositories and ointment, so I decided to use it again and see if it ceases the itching, bleeding and the irritation, and if the External Hemorrhoids vanished. I used them all and every symptoms were gone. And now after 6 weeks, less or more maybe. I got the symptoms again. This time with blood again, irritation and itching, but not so much as it used to.
I want to point out that I am not so active anymore, I used to play for a football team and was a very active person til age 19. At age 19 everything changed. I quit being active and got lazy after going into a relationship, started to drink alcohol at that age and started to party alot and drink a lot of alcohol at the parties.
Before I was symptom free my diet was terrible, I used to workout 3 to 4 times a week (3 years ago), it was very on and off with the workouts so I still had symptoms then, like itching, irritation and bleeding(fresh red blood). My stool used to always be hard and I went to the toilet few times a week (2/3 times a week). I also used to sit on the toilet for over a long time(which is not good at all because of the pressure it puts around the muscles of my anus). I used to work as a checkout employee on a supermarket where I sat for almost 8 hours.
Right before I got the symptoms again after I was done with Scheriproct, I had bowel movement almost everyday and my stool used to be soft. No pain or itching, no irritation and external hemorrhoids. No blood at all and the time I used on the toilet was reduced extreamly to finish my bowel movement in maximum 5 minutes (usually 2 to 3 minutes). Then the day came when I had not a bowel movement for 3 or 4 days after eating alot of Pizza and meat I went in to the toilet and pressed a little to get some poop out because I was afraid of having hard stool again, but after that day the symptoms returned.
Here is a list of the symptoms I got, symtoms I had and symptoms which I never had.
Symptoms I have(+) had(-), never had(x)
+ Itching (not so often as before)
+ Irritation (not so much as before)
+ Blood on toilet paper and poop (fresh red)
+ Sweet, but an awful scent from poop (Don't know the reason, maybe because of the blood coming in contact with the poop)
+ Clumps on anus (External Hemorrhoids)
(+/-) Hard Stool, not so hard as it used to be and sometimes not hard at all and normal(feels great).. Last bowel movement = Hard to begin with then got softer.
- Used to bleed a lot and get fever
x NO Black Poop
x NO Weight loss
x NO pain in the abdomen
(I can't think of any other symptoms at the moment that I had or never had, sorry)
I have recently changed my diet and started to workout properly(second session today). I eat more vegetable food and drink a lot of hot drinks and water. I also eat fruit and the result was my stool was still a little bit hard to begin with, did not struggle getting it out and there was blood again(not much, but with that sweet and awful scent), but it has only been 2 days since the other bowel movement when the symptoms returned so maybe it has not healed up yet and that my diet has not taken effect yet, after all I ate many non fiber rich food these last days before changing my diet!
I am truly sorry for an extremely long post, just wanted to lay out all of the details.
By the way I have a question: If I have Colon Cancer, would I always have blood on my stool when I first have it or will it cease to bleed sometimes? As I mentioned, I was symptom free with no blood after using Scheriproct suppositories and ointment and was symptom free 3 more weeks without Scheriproct.
I am planning on visiting my doctor and let him take a look. I even took pictures of my anus as it is now to show him incase I chicken out to show him.
Hemorrhoids Or Serious Like Colon Cancer
I have recently noticed blood in my stool (the last couple of time I have gone). I am freaking out! I am only 24 years old and generally follow a good diet and am not sure if this is something benign like Hemorrhoids or serious like Colon Cancer. Can somebody advice on how to distinguish between the different diseases? I am feeling fine and have no other symptoms for now.
View 1 Replies