CancerCompass message board discussion started by Cheryl1324 on 7/1/2008 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,25595,0.htm Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ Hi,I have a few questions.I'm a 37 year old female.  I haven't been feeling that well for a little over a year.  Nothing horrible, just very tired, frequent infections, fevers. Even when I was on antibiotics I spiked a fever of 102.1 (lasted 4 days), and then it went down to 100.3. My eosinophils were elevated about 7 months ago (they were at 666), then in May 2008 they had gone up even more to 936. My skin itches and I have gotten rashes for what appears to be no reason. Doctor says it is probably from my eosinophils going up. Also have night sweats.My doctor did find some enlarged lymph nodes (left supraclavicular) and left groin.  I was sent for CT scans with and without contrast (neck, chest, abdominal and pelvic scans). Scans showed in neck, left low attenuation level V lymph node, bilateral axillary nodes, bilateral inguinal nodes and left iliac node(measuring 2.5 x1.4 cm).  The other nodes were ranging between 1cm to 1.3 cm.Radiologist recommended a PET scan, which I had today.What does "low attenuation" mean?I was also told by my doctor that CT scans are very good at detailed images and that is why they ordered the PET scan, because what the CT scan is showing is concerning and pointing to Lymphoma and PET scan can help confirm. Can CT scan really see things that well?But doc said even when PET scan is finished and if there is somehting diagnosis still can't be confirmed without biopsy. Is that true?  (I am feeling like a human pin cushion) Sorry to complain, I'm just very concerned and trying hard to keep positive the waiting is awful.Thanks for anwering my questions in advance.Cheryl Cheryl1324 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT  On 7/1/2008 Cheryl1324 wrote:Hi,I have a few questions.I'm a 37 year old female.  I haven't been feeling that well for a little over a year.  Nothing horrible, just very tired, frequent infections, fevers. Even when I was on antibiotics I spiked a fever of 102.1 (lasted 4 days), and then it went down to 100.3. My eosinophils were elevated about 7 months ago (they were at 666), then in May 2008 they had gone up even more to 936. My skin itches and I have gotten rashes for what appears to be no reason. Doctor says it is probably from my eosinophils going up. Also have night sweats.My doctor did find some enlarged lymph nodes (left supraclavicular) and left groin.  I was sent for CT scans with and without contrast (neck, chest, abdominal and pelvic scans). Scans showed in neck, left low attenuation level V lymph node, bilateral axillary nodes, bilateral inguinal nodes and left iliac node(measuring 2.5 x1.4 cm).  The other nodes were ranging between 1cm to 1.3 cm.Radiologist recommended a PET scan, which I had today.What does "low attenuation" mean?I was also told by my doctor that CT scans are very good at detailed images and that is why they ordered the PET scan, because what the CT scan is showing is concerning and pointing to Lymphoma and PET scan can help confirm. Can CT scan really see things that well?But doc said even when PET scan is finished and if there is somehting diagnosis still can't be confirmed without biopsy. Is that true?  (I am feeling like a human pin cushion) Sorry to complain, I'm just very concerned and trying hard to keep positive the waiting is awful.Thanks for anwering my questions in advance.CherylCheryl hang in there.  I am 59 years old and was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1989 at the age of 40 years old resulting with removal of both breast. Went through massive doses of chemo.  Was told I was cancer free and went about my life for 19 years and recently had stomach problems and went for a look down and doc biopsied resulting in gastric cancer.  After further stain test the doc came back with mestatic breast cancer lobular carcinoma.  I went through the Pet Scan to determine what and where this had spread and I was diagnosed with bone cancer with invasive lobular carcinoma to the stomach wall.  Inoperable.  I've been taking Femara (good news I was ER positive) this enables you to take the aromatase inhibitors.  I'm learning just today that the aches and pains I have been experiencing have been medication induced.  My message is just hang in there.  I have been right there with the waiting game and the pin cushion feel.  Good luck Sable  sable Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT your symptoms are concerning and need to be investigated.  Elevated eosinophils could be caused by many things, but lymphoma would be one.  The CT scan is good at picking up lymphedema and masses and the PET good at picking up areas of high metabolism which could indicate cancer.  The only way to be sure is to biopsy a lymph node and have pathology look at it.  Let us know what happens. Oncrx Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT  On 7/1/2008 Cheryl1324 wrote:Hi,I have a few questions.I'm a 37 year old female.  I haven't been feeling that well for a little over a year.  Nothing horrible, just very tired, frequent infections, fevers. Even when I was on antibiotics I spiked a fever of 102.1 (lasted 4 days), and then it went down to 100.3. My eosinophils were elevated about 7 months ago (they were at 666), then in May 2008 they had gone up even more to 936. My skin itches and I have gotten rashes for what appears to be no reason. Doctor says it is probably from my eosinophils going up. Also have night sweats.My doctor did find some enlarged lymph nodes (left supraclavicular) and left groin.  I was sent for CT scans with and without contrast (neck, chest, abdominal and pelvic scans). Scans showed in neck, left low attenuation level V lymph node, bilateral axillary nodes, bilateral inguinal nodes and left iliac node(measuring 2.5 x1.4 cm).  The other nodes were ranging between 1cm to 1.3 cm.Radiologist recommended a PET scan, which I had today.What does "low attenuation" mean?I was also told by my doctor that CT scans are very good at detailed images and that is why they ordered the PET scan, because what the CT scan is showing is concerning and pointing to Lymphoma and PET scan can help confirm. Can CT scan really see things that well?But doc said even when PET scan is finished and if there is somehting diagnosis still can't be confirmed without biopsy. Is that true?  (I am feeling like a human pin cushion) Sorry to complain, I'm just very concerned and trying hard to keep positive the waiting is awful.Thanks for anwering my questions in advance.CherylHello! I am 43 and for about a year or so, I saw my left side of neck swollen. I went to my primary physician and she refferered me to an ENT. Immediatley! The ENT sent me to have a CT Scan of my upper torso and a Biopsy. I am even surprised they have not had a Biospy of your mass on your neck. As soon as the Biopsy was done, Pathology results came back it was Hotchkins/Lymphoma. The ENT reffered me to an oncologist. I went to see the oncologist and he Immediately! sent to have another full CT scan and Pet Scan. After that the oncologist had a bone marrow Biopsy done on me. anwyays! the good news was, that they could only see the mass on my neck and my bone marrow biopsy was negative, thank god! the news was all good, and everything caught on time is so much better. I Immediately went on chemo treatment. before all this I had a Decadron shot at my primary physician and my Lump Mass went away. When I got my first chemo they used Decadron again, and till this day the mass is gone. I was told I will only get about 4 to 6 cycles of chemo and later I saw the radiologist and he said, I will get only 3 weeks of radiation to make sure there are no cancer cells left on my neck. oh! I had a port put in my chest that was no big deal since you can even see it, the incision is maybe! 1 inch. besides a few symptoms of chemo and the Neulasta shot I get 24 hours after chemo is giving, I not only have been very positive about it all, but got on the ball with one thing after the other. I felt I needed to get all this out of the way as soon as possible. another words the Heck! with second opinions. I Intrust on every doctor I have seen till now. besides stating to loose my hair and pains from the Neulasta shot once it enters your bone marrow, I simply take Aleve and the pain is gone. I had some of your symptoms,............But I am surprised they have not had a Biopsy of your mass done yet. cause that right away tells you if you have either Hotchkins or Non-Hotchkins Lymphoma. When they did mines they found reedsternberg cells and thats how they new I had Lymphoma/Hotchkins.Dont worry to much, you will be just fine. Do what I did, I did not waist anytime in getting started with chemo and later radiation. I am doing very well, besides some bad days and depression thats all normal. Just make sure you ask everything! I honestly feel that my doctor has taken all the precautions and is doing exactly all they need to do to have a speedy recovery and on the Road to a complete cure of my Lymphoma. 95% cure surely is more than good for me. I despite some bad days like I said, feel that even my skin on my face was getting bad, Believe it or not! my face is clearing up and after the hair loss, chemo, radiation you name it! I will have a not only better complexion, better hair, etc.Let me know, if they have a Biopsy of the neck mass, and bone marrow done. OK! I have had it all done, and nothing to me was a major discomfort but perhaps the bone marrow while it was being done, other than that! I never even had pain or swellen after the bone marrow Biopsy. Only bad pain  once that Neulasta shot kicked in, enters the bone marrow, and guess what! Aleve takes it away fast. I will never buy anything in this house but Aleves, THE BEST! for pain. I did not even have to take the Darvocet the doctor prescribed. Today I shaved my goatee and soon my moustache, and soon my hair, the heck with it! I see even woman at my doctors with out hair and they still look good. LOL,....so dont worry about it. I want to make the best of all this and get myself a wig, afro and have some fun out of all this thats happening to me.Always! have faith, be positive even tho! you will have some bad days. your 37 and I am 43 to even! think! we are going to croke! Heck no!,..........take care! Victor from Miami,..........you will be on the road to recovery in no time. Lets hope its not Lymphoma, who knows! If it is, dont worry 95% cure. vmgqban Fri, 04 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT Hi Cheryl, I think you need a biopsy.  No treatment can be started until you have one anyway.I'm not a doctor by any means, but I did have Hodkin's Disease 4 times and your symptoms are all classic HD. (Sorry to say.)   :(The important thing for you right now is to get on with getting healthy.  I recommend reading anything/everything out there dealing with Positive Mental Attitude.  Also, we all know that we should eat healthy and exercise daily...especially you.You can and will beat this.  Along the way you will be amazed how strong of a person you really are.  Believe it or not, cancer was the BEST thing to ever happen to me.Wishing you the best.  If you have questions along the way, I"m happy to try and help.  Just email me at --Message edited by CancerCompass staff. For personal protection, email address removed. Consider private reply. Please review CancerCompass Member Guidelines at http://www.cancercompass.com/common/guidelines.html-- Donald A. W.This Time's a Charm; Lessons of a Four-Time Cancer Survivor ThisTimesaCharm Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT