My brother went to his follow up today. He had a cat scan done yeserday. He said he sees a spot on his liver and believes that it liver hemangioma. Also, they think they see a "growth in the left neck which is the opposite side" they scheduled an ultrasound guided fine needle and an mri for the liver. I am so worried! Can someone please help?
he said according to the report it is the size of my thumbnail and it is not easily dopable. Report says 1.5 cm. has this happened to anyone else?
He said this doesn't happen often. 1.5 cm remanhasining (can't spell the word out) lesion on left side.
So sorry to hear about this latest worrisome news. I just sent you a PM, and I'm sure others will be along whose experience and knowledge can give you more insight on what is happening with your brother. I know how anxious you must be, but do try to keep away from thinking about all the things that could go wrong and just concentrate on everything that could go right. Try to keep busy (your brother, too) Do write down all the questions you or your brother have for the doctors or for anyone here. Your brother has excellent doctors taking care of him and there is every chance for everything to turn out fine. Keep us updated, so we know what's happening.
I'm sorry for the latest troubles for your brother. It's possible to FNAB, with ultra sound guidance, a lesion that small. I had smaller, even 3mm x 7mm. I'm not sure of the word your looking for, possibly reminiscent cancer? Although I don't have the same type cancer, mine is oropharyngeal, but I had 7 recurrences in my neck to the same area the past 5 years, and doctors were able to treat. Good luck.
The liver hopefully will not be cancerous. It can spread to there but usually the lungs or thereabouts is the first stop... So hopefully this is nothing. The other side node to me is more concerning. Just before I started rads I had a CT. The Rads dr. didn't readily give me the results even though I asked him at the time. Clearly he hadn't taken the time to look before meeting with me because he sent a resident out to look at them mid meeting and scared the shit out of me. (long story involving my lungs that after all the worrying turned out to be NOTHING) Anyway when asked about my head and neck CT he said it was just to plot my radiation. Imagine my dismay when he actually looked at my scans afterwards, and I got a call at home with him wanting to see me the next morning. Turns out those unimportant scans actually showed a small active node on the opposite side. Knowing that I was very gung ho and motivated he decided to radiate that side as well just to be on the safe side. I later asked my SO about the node - he said likely it wasn't cancerous... (based on location) But I was happy to have nuked it anyway.
It does jump the midline sometimes. Your brother is quite young and likely hypermetabolic. Hopefully they do something. Chances are he may have come down with something (that's what I think in retrospect as I had been in mexico at a resort literally three days before my scan. But better safe than sorry.
This cancer can be quite aggressive in younger people so making certain that any concerns are recognized and acted on is VERY important.
hugs
Doctor said less than a 1 percent chance of people get affected
Lymph nodes on opposite side. My brother did the needle test and it came out positive for Cancer in the opposite neck! They will need to present this at the tumor board. Most likely he will need a neck dissection on his left side. Feeling really bummed.
Im so sorry your brother is facing a recurrence so soon after finishing his treatments.
This time around you both are more knowledgeable of OC and its treatments. If I remember correctly, he is being treated at a CCC.
Hopefully this has been caught very early and will be easily and quickly treated.
Hang in there.
I am sorry to hear this news. I will be thinking and praying for your brother and your entire family.
Thank you ChristineB and Virgo for your thoughts and prayers. This left modified neck dissection will make it the 5th time I've been put to sleep so it's 'been there done that' type of mindset for me and it won't be nowhere near as big of a procedure as the partial glossectomy+dissection so this surgery doesn't bother me. I'm scheduled for surgery this Friday March 27th and the things that do concern me are that my ENT said since I've underwent radiation, there are more risk factors while performing a neck dissection...
He said there's a 5% chance they will have to put a trach in because my jaw can't open as wide as it did before, so the anesthesiologist might have troubles getting the tube down my throat to put me to sleep. There's a possibility that they can't put me to sleep in standard fashion, therefore performing a fiber optic intibation in which he will wake me back up to freeze my throat and put the tube in himself to knock me out.
Also if the mass is close to my nerve in my neck, he will have to cut the nerve out and I will have damage to the nerve to the shoulder, and there's a 7/10 chance I'll get the feeling back compared to 9/10 if I did this procedure pre-Rads. I lift weights so this is my biggest concern. Also he said I will be able to work out 7 days post surgery. I'm hoping all goes well and I come out with just a standard neck dissection and call it a day!
You got this, Brandon! Keep your good attitude. I will light a candle for you Friday. Exactly what time is your surgery? Please have Sister update us as soon as possible, however, I live by the motto "no news is good news", so no worries if it takes her a while.
Best wishes for your surgery, Brandon. I hope the anaesthetist can intubate you without too much trouble. I really hope the shoulder nerve gets just a temporary shock and that you are back lifting weights ASAP. Your fitness will be of benefit as you recover.
Brandon, you can do this. I know there are a lot of what ifs and maybes, but it
will all go well. Kris had an awake intubation for his first neck dissection. He doesn't really remembered it thanks to the drugs - Midazolam. This surgery too was post the radiation. Make sure you get onto the physiotherapy as soon as you can. This will really help those neck and shoulder muscles get back working again.
Thinking of you,
Tammy
The anesthesiologist has a few ways to put patients to sleep, even those with limited mouth openings. Im in that category and have had countless surgeries. In my case the doc uses a tiny tube to go up thru my nose to knock me out. Its a very simple procedure. Im sure this wont be a major obstacle for your surgery.
Wishing you all the best with your surgery.
Good luck with your surgery! I'll be having mine tomorrow too. Twice the anesthesiologist had to intubate me through the nostrils due to trismus. I was also scheduled for a MRND my first dissection, and they had to do a radical due to everything being all twisted up from prior radiation. Even with that I was still able to lift my arms overhead, after healing, until later surgeries and additional radiation. Sometimes the stitches are kept in longer in the radiated tissue due to delayed healing, sometimes 2 weeks longer than the usual 7.
Thank you Paul I wish everything goes as planned with your surgery as well, and for it to be as smooth sailing as possible, my ENT said that he will keep staples and stitches in for 10 days due to the slower healing process this time around. May the lord clear us from this disease for once and for all! You're a soldier for having to deal with it 7x and keeping strong! I'm hoping I can due the overhead motions as well and that the Cancer didn't spread to the nerve of the shoulder.
Virgo my surgery will start at 7:30 a.m. Eastern Time Tomorrow morning and should take about 4 hours. Thank you for the candle lighting and prayers ahead of time, they are greatly appreciated!
And thank you for the self esteem boost, the thoughts and support that you all have given me. May you have success in all of your future endeavors. My sister will keep you updated on how the surgery goes.
Brandon,
I've been reading your recent posts and had heard of your situation initially through your sister. Sorry I didn't comment sooner to welcome you to the forum, but I have been keeping you in my prayers since the beginning.
I'm really sorry you are facing more surgery. It sounds like you have a great group of doctors and an awesome family - both key to helping you get through this.
Wishing you the best tomorrow. I will be watching for an update from your sister.
Aussie prayers for you Brandon. Stick with it mate.
Hope your surgery went well and you are on the mend. this cancer can be aggressive. Are they talking about doing radiation on that side of your neck. You might be a candidate because it sounds like they didn't do it the first time. (they rarely do it bilaterally if there is no indication it should be done) hugs and healing vibes coming your way.