I have a new "lump" on my shoulder at my collar bone where there just used to be a single swollen gland that I could feel. This last week it swelled way up and got hard like a tennis ball. I would also say its about the same size as one as well, but you can only see the top half of it. Anyhow my surgon has confirmed this to be another tumor. It was not there the day of my cat scan on the 17th. The glands were swollen but I did not have the tennis ball "Knot".
I am scheduled for my biopsy Wednesday at 1 PM. I have to Plan on staying over night, and I will be under complete anesthesia and in a OR.
They cannot do a needle biopsy they way they do with other cancers because of the type of tissue this grows in. Lymphoma really is a different breed of cancer. It doesn't act like normal cancer, it doesn't Grow like normal cancer, and you cant treat it like normal cancer. I wish I had more information on this subject. But I am thinking I will learn more when I meet my oncologist.
To do a biopsy they need a MINIMUM of a thimble sized piece of tissue.and they want the sample to be a "good one" these are his words I am unsure what that means unless perhaps he can tell due to his experience what a cancerous lymph node looks like as opposed to a lymph node that is just swollen?
So anyhow hes going to cut into my collarbone area and try to cut out enough of a "good" sample to be able to type this lymphoma. He assures me that he thinks this will be fine due to its size and it gets to sit there and cook till next Wednesday. If he is not happy with the sample he gets from my shoulder,while I am still under, he will go in between my ribs on my right side. He will go behind my lungs and in front of my heart. This is where the original mass is located. And he KNOWS he can get what he needs there. But that procedure is more painful and more evasive. So PLEASE pray that they can get what they need out of my shoulder.
To do a biopsy they need a MINIMUM of a thimble sized piece of tissue.and they want the sample to be a "good one" these are his words I am unsure what that means unless perhaps he can tell due to his experience what a cancerous lymph node looks like as opposed to a lymph node that is just swollen?
So anyhow hes going to cut into my collarbone area and try to cut out enough of a "good" sample to be able to type this lymphoma. He assures me that he thinks this will be fine due to its size and it gets to sit there and cook till next Wednesday. If he is not happy with the sample he gets from my shoulder,while I am still under, he will go in between my ribs on my right side. He will go behind my lungs and in front of my heart. This is where the original mass is located. And he KNOWS he can get what he needs there. But that procedure is more painful and more evasive. So PLEASE pray that they can get what they need out of my shoulder.
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