Help! Lump On Neck

Please help. I am so worried about this lump on my neck.

I had Cervical cancer 11 years ago which had spread & was in 3 out of 4 of my lymph glands & in surrounding tissue, blood vessels at top of leg & more.

I had 4 weeks highest doe radiotherapy, followed by Cesium implnats at highst dose for 3 days.

 I am worried this is secondary cancer in the Lymph glands.

 

My doc overlooked lump on first visit saying will see what blood tesat shows. I have thyroid disease (graves) so he said all was clear in blood test other than needed to reduce anti thyroid dose.When I asked again about lump..he said its nothing probably parathyroid responsible for calcium.

 

I have since been back as is getting bigger...he has said (2 weeks ago) will send me  for a scan ...but hospital have not herad from him yet.

 [IMG]http://i28.tinypic.com/2epuk8x.jpg [/IMG]

 

I have had the lump around 5/6 months now. It does not move or hurt, is not hard but feels similar to how a muscle feels.

 

Thanks for any advice

 

On 1/23/2008 jenworried wrote:

Please help. I am so worried about this lump on my neck.

I had Cervical cancer 11 years ago which had spread & was in 3 out of 4 of my lymph glands & in surrounding tissue, blood vessels at top of leg & more.

I had 4 weeks highest doe radiotherapy, followed by Cesium implnats at highst dose for 3 days.

 I am worried this is secondary cancer in the Lymph glands.

 

My doc overlooked lump on first visit saying will see what blood tesat shows. I have thyroid disease (graves) so he said all was clear in blood test other than needed to reduce anti thyroid dose.When I asked again about lump..he said its nothing probably parathyroid responsible for calcium.

 

I have since been back as is getting bigger...he has said (2 weeks ago) will send me  for a scan ...but hospital have not herad from him yet.

 [IMG]http://i28.tinypic.com/2epuk8x.jpg [/IMG]

 

I have had the lump around 5/6 months now. It does not move or hurt, is not hard but feels similar to how a muscle feels.

 

Thanks for any advice

I think you should get second opinion if he wont at least ultrasound your neck. An ultrasound is an excellent way to see if something looks tissue filled or fluid filled which if tissue filled lump, or lymph node needs to be biopsied.  Get an appt to get an ultrasound. I wouldnt wait if you feel uneasy and have a history of cancer. I just think sometimes docs are to lasidasical about things when we have instinct and know our bodies and deserve to be listened to. Good luck and God bless. Keep me posted. Thanks, denny

Thanks Denny

 

I have been unwell for  a few years now... have said to myself think I have cancer,as felt similar before I did before.

Most symptoms have been face & neck related, had 6 teeth out - no change, had nose op - no change. then was discovered had thyroid disease.... & told all symptoms are due to this...but now thyroid is stable, have all symptoms still feel like death & lump getting bigger

 

 

Thanks again for your advice

Jen

 

 

ANY neck lump that persists more than a few weeks w/o change should be thoroughly evaluated by an ENT. For mine, we started with a fine needle biopsy (inconclusive) then went right to excision. There was also some sort of computerized picture of my neck at ENT's office-not a CT, not sure exactly what you call it but it definitely showed mass. Mine turned out to be 3.1 cm-and path diagnosed SCC. Turned out to have spread to at least 3 other nodes and staged at IV, with unknown primary. I did, however, have the lump for a long time before doing anything about it-my error. Best of luck-Gayle   

My lump (link to pic) [IMG]http://i26.tinypic.com/52118m.jpg [/IMG]

Hi Gayle thanks for the advice.

Was your lump anything like mine???

Are you in uk, as its not so easy to just go get a scan here unless gp/doc writes to hospital & requests it.

How long did you have yours before scan/treatment?

I hope you are well now & wish you all the best

Jen

Pretty much same area on my neck; and it slowly grew; but mine WAS moveable, not fixed. Never painful.  Pretty rounded feeling-not quite so firm as a muscle. I told my story earlier-to recap: found lump summer of 2005. Excision then, but path came back as piece of infected salivary gland. Lump returned-or I noticed again!-summer of 2006. Ignored until ENT consult and another excision 1/07-which resulted in SCC diagnosis.

 I'm in the US-Mn to be exact. Was able to move forward to all tests and scans easily; but definitely things moved faster AFTER diagnosis.

Please be insistant that you get checked out further-or change Dr's. As they say-you know your body best! I think I would go directly to an ENT, tho. Keep us posted! Gayle

I had 3 ent dr's tell me I had nothing to worry about. It wasn't until I insisted the biopsy my growth that they found out I had cancer. Please, be persistent and push for a biopsy. Especially with your history. I don't need to tell you the importance of catching things early.

Good luck. May God bless you.

Rick

I have just phoned my docs & been told he has not yet wrote to the hospital about the lump.

So I just hope he does soon.

Jen

Looks a lot like my husbands tumors in the beginning. Currently under treatment for stage four nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Are you in a position to get to the states if they do not act more quickly?  I agree with Rick that only a biospy of the tumor will confirm.  With your history, they need to move faster.  Also, get on some natural immune system boosters or get to a natural/holistic doc too.  I think, personally, the alternative works well as adjunctive therapy to the medical.  In your case, you aren't getting anything right now, so get something in there fighting! 

And, fight for your right for answers!  Don't take "no or not yet" just go to the next until they move.

Good luck and keep us posted.  You will be in my thoughts.

 

 

 

Thnaks for the replies.

 

Have now got an appointment for a Head & Neck MRI scan  next week.

Not looking forward to it as I know will panic & waste everyones time. Thinking of asking GP if would be better to have a CT scan or even ultrasound as really dont think I will cope in the MRI scanner.

 Anyone know if a CT scan would be as good as the MRI?

Jen