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mononucleosis or lymphoma ?

Hi,
I have a situation with my brother, He is 32, He is in hospital now but nobody knows exactly what is wrong with him!
He told me that he had Herpes simplex on his upper lip and when he went to the doctor, he recommended some kind of corticosteroid ointment and when he didn't respond to them they prescribed Dexamethasone injection (8 of them in 4 days). After 3-4 days his throat begins to swells and it got bigger and bigger since and he started to experience fever and chill afterward.
We decided to take him to a hospital at first they gave him some antibiotics but nothing has change, every doctor comes up with a new diagnosis,one day they say it might be Mononucleosis, then they say it might be Lymphoma or leukemia.
yesterday they did a biopsy on his neck and they result won't go out until Saturday :( I really don't know what to do? this waiting is killing me ....
He still has his fever and chills, he lost weight but he feels better now. he is just so tired and confused!
Would you please help me with that, what is it really?
many thanks in advance .
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Avatar universal
You can PM me anytime in regards to questions or trying to figure out reports. Oncology is one of my many backgrounds as a nurse.  So, I have seen these types of reports way too often unfortunately.  

When is the I.H.C. study being done?  Hodgkin's disease usually has a much better prognosis than ALCL.  ALCL is a rare form of NHL.  Just have to hope and pray this was caught in the early stages.  

Definitely keep us posted.    
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329165 tn?1515471990
Hi there Taima,

I have read the report - don't you sometimes wish that Docs would just talk proper ENGLISH and not their own language!  but there is nothing we can not google to help us understand better :)

necrosis:  the premature death of cells in living tissue.
Hodgkin's lymphoma:  is a cancer of the lymphatic system, which is part of your immune system.

I am so sorry that he has this disease, but at least now they can start treating him and getting him better.

Treatment is Chemo or Radiotheraphy.

It is great to hear that his condition is improving!  he can fight this disease with a loving family - like yourself - by his side and a positive attitude and if he is religious - there is no better medicine than prayer!

Please keep us updated and let him know that there are a bunch of people on this forum that wishes him good luck and praying for him :)

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Avatar universal
I know, They're working on it, and the result may come out in 12hrs.
His general condition is so much better, his appetite is back, he is not that anxious.
Hope we're not late ...
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Avatar universal
In regards to the pathology report, this sounds like some sort of Lymphoma
and the study mentioned above needs to be done to confirm exactly the type or sub-classification.  

This isn't looking very good dear.  
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Avatar universal
Well thanks for your support and help.
Finally they did the biopsy but the result came out with some complications. as the doctor said they couldn't get a concrete result because the tissues were so damaged and they need to work more on those samples and if they didn't get what they're looking for they're gonna do another biopsy.
I'm gonna post the pathology report:
\\\\\\\\\
Two sample received:
(A: Cervical lymph node - B: incisional from tongue mucosa)

A/ Lymph node tissue show wide areas of necrosis in large sample (secondary to steroid therapy? or lymph node infraction? ...).
Other two samples show complete effacement of architecture with a background of lymphoplasma cells.eosinophils and reticulum cells.
There are areas of necrosis along with some large lymphoid blast cells and multinucleated Sternberg like lymphoid blasts.

B/ Oral mucosa (tongue) shows ulcerated mucosa with wide areas of necrosis and dense infiltration of reactive lymphoid cells and large tumoral blast cells as described in Sample A.

DX: A & B lymph node biopsy and tongue mucosa ulcer from a 30Y/O male after extensive corticosteroid therapy, malignant lymphoma with necrosis and degeneration of tumor blast cells, unclassified lymphoma.

Comment: I.H.C study is recommended for sub-classification.
two differential diagnosis for this case are: 1/Hodgkin disease?
2/ A.L.C.L

/////////////////////////

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Avatar universal
I didn't mean anything by what I stated.  Just that he has to be the one to agree with his treatment and I didn't know if other things could be impeding that.  Didn't mean any harm or disrespect to you or your brother at all.  I ask certain questions in order to help formulate my recommendation.  

No doubt it is scary when you don't know what it is going on.

The only option at this point is to have this properly biopsied and hopefully he will be ok with that.  Alot will depend on the results of this biopsy.  
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Avatar universal
As I mentioned in my first post he is 32!
What do you mean by those words? of course he is not! Are you trying to help me? coz you are not!
Does he have any options? We just have to wait and see about that biopsy result.
FYI he is so tired and he his so worried because it took so long and no one seems to know what's wrong with him,we are doing our best to keep him calm.
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329165 tn?1515471990
Sorry to hear about the trouble your brother has been having with the changing of Hospitals!  I think it can happen for Docs to biopsy the wrong tissue, but it should not happen again as it is a rear incidense.

Just keep on supporting your brother and assure him that even though it is terrible to go through all of the tests, the Docs need to get a diagnosis in order to treat him and it is not going to be easy but soon will be over and he'll start improving.

Please keep us updated and all the best!  stay strong and positive.
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Avatar universal
Just curious....how old is your brother?  Does he have a psych history or a limited mental capacity?  Just wondering why he can't make his own decisions.  

Well.....just hope he gets the care he needs and he is ok with that.  

Terrible about that mistake.  Unfortunately, those things can happen.  
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Avatar universal
Yeah, it's awful.
We just moved him to another hospital. they will perform a biopsy in 2-3 hours from now.
We didn't told him that the last biopsy didn't go well, he still thinks that they did it right. coz we thought it will destroy him :(
Hopefully his general condition is improving, he didn't have a fever in last 30 hours,his psychological state was better last night.
I don't know what will happen when we tell him that there's gonna be another biopsy!
I'm just praying .....
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Avatar universal
OMG!  That's terrible.  Exactly how old is your brother?  

I think I would have done the same thing; gone to another hospital.  

Well, do keep us posted.  Hopefully, the update will be better news that this.  Just awful.  
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Avatar universal
You're not gonna believe that! after three days the pathology came to me and said that the doctors made a mistake during the biospy and instead of taking a sample of lymph on his neck they took a Salivary glands out!!

though the biopsy on that gland didn't show any sign of cancer.

They tried to do another biopsy yesterday and It seems that unfortunately they were unable to take a sample via biposy because of the swelled nodes!!!
my brother is so frightened and he is so worried now, he doesn't believe in any of us now! :( He don't believe a word we say and he becomes more and more aggressive toward us.
We don't now what to do now, we just decided to take him to another hospital by now before they do another mistake!
I can't believe ....
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Avatar universal
Ok, sounds like they are trying to sort this out properly; just a pain to have to wait and see what comes about.  

Well....do keep us posted.  
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Avatar universal
hi,
Yes he is now under a Infectious disease doctor supervision but the doctor didn't do a bone marrow aspiration yet, I think they all wait for that biopsy result of his neck node at the moment.
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329165 tn?1515471990
Please keep us updated on his progress.  All the best to him.
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Avatar universal
Has he been seen by an ID physician (Infectious Disease)?

A bone marrow aspiration should be done to rule out Lymphoma/Leukemia.  
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Avatar universal
Hi there,
Thanks for your reply, and thanks for understanding me.
yeah I do realized that the best thing is to wait for those biopsy results.
I think it might not be related but for your information my brother lives and works on an island_his work is in an office (but now he is back to land).

And I hope your sister and every other patient gets better and better.

Many Thanks.
Helpful - 0
329165 tn?1515471990
Hi there,

Sorry to hear about your brother!  I can imagine that you are anxious to get results and to find out what is wrong with him, but unfortunately it is going to take time for those bloodtests to come back and that will bring the Docs one step closer to a diagnosis.

Fever and chills are never a good sign, but he is in the best place:  Hospital.  They are soon going to have more answers for him.

There is very specific tests that I am sure the Docs have done to rule out/confirm Leukemia/Cancer or even Mono.  The Herpes-virus causes Mono and if he is having a flair-up now, it explains all of his symptoms.  Biopsies are very invasive and the Docs would not have done that if it was not necessary - so the biopsy results will be very meaningful to his diagnosis.

I understand and now what you are going through, as his sister:  My sister was sick for more than 9 years and she had so many miss-diagnosis and eventually someone did a CA25 Cancer test and now she is busy with treatment for Chronical Lymph Leukemia and actually getting better for the 1st time in years!

Keep in touch.  I would love to try and help and comfort you.
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