Reurrence question

Hello,

I had a modified radical vulvectomy just over 2 years ago followed by pelvic radiation for 5 and a half weeks. I have been feeling very lucky as both my gyn and my radiation oncologist's stated that if my cancer were to recur it most likely would be in the first two years. And so far all is clear, sort of. 

At the end of Feb. during my shower I felt a small bump on the surgical side in what's left of the fold of the labia. It seems to be along the incision line. Since I couldn/t get in to see my gyn until yesterday the bump turned into a lump (size of a pea) and it felt like it had grown underneath the skin..

My gyn looked at it, prodded and poked and she thinks that it is scar tissue. She did not do a biopsy. She said to let her know if anything changes and I go back in 4 months. Was I crazy not to insist on a biopsy? I've already lived with it for over a month so I guess I can do another 4 months. I just get nervous when a doctor says "I think it is such and such" instead of "I know it is this or that".

Any and all thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks,

CeCe

Hi CeCe,

Of course, I'm not a doctor, but if I were you I would get her to do a biopsy. Does scar tissue grow at that rate, or does it grow? I don't know. But I wouldn't take a chance. I know vulvar cancer is a slow growing cancer but it is still cancer. So just take a proactive step and ease your mind so you won't worry for 4 months.

Take care

That is what I am thinking too. I actually had Bartholin Gland cancer but since it is so rare they treat it like they do vulvar cancer. The rarity is what worries me most. My gyn is great but she has never treated my kind of cancer. No one in the KC area has. So she can't say with certainty that the growth isn't a recurrence.

I'm going to call her office and tell them what I'm thinking. Thanks for replying to my message.

CeCe

On 4/1/2009 Teddys Mom wrote:

That is what I am thinking too. I actually had Bartholin Gland cancer but since it is so rare they treat it like they do vulvar cancer. The rarity is what worries me most. My gyn is great but she has never treated my kind of cancer. No one in the KC area has. So she can't say with certainty that the growth isn't a recurrence.

I'm going to call her office and tell them what I'm thinking. Thanks for replying to my message.

CeCe

Hi CeCe,

Please, please,please see a oncology gynocologist. I have had 2 partial vulvectomies. I found a lump, I also found out it was scar tissue.

It is still frightening. My next appt. is in July.

I wish you the very best, but I feel the gyno oncologist is a must!

Sincerely,

Debra