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What is opaque density?
A recent ct scan because of lymphoma shows a 1.5 cm opaque density with irregular border near external iliac vessels. What might this be?
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COMMUNITY LEADER
I don't know much about the lungs, but if you mean that the lung nodule is 6mm, then isn't the threshhold for concern 9mm? For most nodes, the size can be much bigger without being alarming. I think that by themselves your scans all told would not be alarming, but then of course everything changes very markedly because of your CLL diagnosis.
I've been listening to some talks online about varying diet to discourage cancer growth. There might be something to that - or maybe not.
I've been listening to some talks online about varying diet to discourage cancer growth. There might be something to that - or maybe not.
Great info, Ken. Thanks. Btw I goofed. I have a 1.5 soft tissue density (opaque not mentioned) with irregular border and .5mm RUL nodule at inferior margin.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Buckeye, here's a quick primer on Rituxan/rituximab to save you some time:
Regular chemo is like a poison that's meant to kill cancer kills at a higher rate than normal, healthy cells. Cancer cells are killed quicker because they are more biologically active. If two people are trapped in a room with poison gas, the one who is doing jumping jacks will get poisoned faster than the one who is resting on the floor.
The first chemo actually came about from seeing how soldiers with leukemia in WWI who had survived an attack of poison mustard gas then experienced a remission of their leukemia.
But biologic drugs are different, in that they are generally meant to target specific cells only. Rituxan is made up of antibodies that attach only to B-cells (both healthy and cancer ones). When antibodies attach to the target cell like tiny flags, that serves as a signal to the immune system: come kill this cell. No cells besides B-cells get affected, so it's very mild. The most one generally experiences might be a transient rash and other minor symptoms that occur when the contents of the B-cells (including their immune-signalling molecules like cytokines) get spilled willy-nilly into the bloodstream.
AFAIK, RTX is first-line Tx for CLL, just as with many lymphomas.
Hopefully that's way down the road for you anyway :) as your CLL stays low grade.
A PET is a whole-body scan that would generally be used to spot whatever other areas light up as cancer cells take in more of the injected radioactive glucose than normal cells do - IOW to see how things might have spread. Without a single large node or nodule currently known, and with your CLL being indolent, they might not think that an expensive PET is justified at this point. Well, that assumes especially that the 1.5cm spot stays that size. I guess you have scans every 6 months or so and monthy CBCs.
You know, it just occurred to me that that opacity might be a good sign: that whether from calcium or from dense fibrosis, that could mean that your immune system is valiantly battling the cancer cells. That's just a guess, but it's a hopeful thought.
Regular chemo is like a poison that's meant to kill cancer kills at a higher rate than normal, healthy cells. Cancer cells are killed quicker because they are more biologically active. If two people are trapped in a room with poison gas, the one who is doing jumping jacks will get poisoned faster than the one who is resting on the floor.
The first chemo actually came about from seeing how soldiers with leukemia in WWI who had survived an attack of poison mustard gas then experienced a remission of their leukemia.
But biologic drugs are different, in that they are generally meant to target specific cells only. Rituxan is made up of antibodies that attach only to B-cells (both healthy and cancer ones). When antibodies attach to the target cell like tiny flags, that serves as a signal to the immune system: come kill this cell. No cells besides B-cells get affected, so it's very mild. The most one generally experiences might be a transient rash and other minor symptoms that occur when the contents of the B-cells (including their immune-signalling molecules like cytokines) get spilled willy-nilly into the bloodstream.
AFAIK, RTX is first-line Tx for CLL, just as with many lymphomas.
Hopefully that's way down the road for you anyway :) as your CLL stays low grade.
A PET is a whole-body scan that would generally be used to spot whatever other areas light up as cancer cells take in more of the injected radioactive glucose than normal cells do - IOW to see how things might have spread. Without a single large node or nodule currently known, and with your CLL being indolent, they might not think that an expensive PET is justified at this point. Well, that assumes especially that the 1.5cm spot stays that size. I guess you have scans every 6 months or so and monthy CBCs.
You know, it just occurred to me that that opacity might be a good sign: that whether from calcium or from dense fibrosis, that could mean that your immune system is valiantly battling the cancer cells. That's just a guess, but it's a hopeful thought.
Hi Ken. Thanks for your insight. Makes sense. I am on W&W yet. Am getting a sense that chemo is closing in on me, one problem at a time. After sinus surgery they should also follow up on 6 mm RUL nodule. I will check on Rituxan. I appreciate your help.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hi, the sinusitis and also the many enlarged nodes might possibly be the result of your immune system being weakened because of the way that CLL/SLL affects certain immune cells.
But unfortunately, the scanned mass being irregular and dense does *tend* (but not prove) that it may be cancer. On the plus side, none of your nodes are so large at this point that cancer is the obvious explanation. The opacity might result from being calcified, but then that doesn't necessarily mean cancer, either. Everything has to to with tendencies.
Has anyone mentioned Rituxan yet? You might as well get a little familiar, it's a very mild biologic treatment.
But unfortunately, the scanned mass being irregular and dense does *tend* (but not prove) that it may be cancer. On the plus side, none of your nodes are so large at this point that cancer is the obvious explanation. The opacity might result from being calcified, but then that doesn't necessarily mean cancer, either. Everything has to to with tendencies.
Has anyone mentioned Rituxan yet? You might as well get a little familiar, it's a very mild biologic treatment.
You are very kind to help me understand what might be going on. The doctor has not mentioned a stage, at least not prior to the scan. As I read it, I am most likely stage 2. Am having sinus ct scan prior to sinus surgery for chronic sinusitis ... by mid-October. Other issues detected on scan might convince oncologist to order PET. I have numerous nodes, many above 9 mm, throughout. A .6 mm pulmonary nodule. RUL atelectasis, unknown reason. The lymphoma is indolent, thus the watch and wait rather than treatment.
Yes, it is frustrating, depressing, weird, scary. You are a comforting person. Best of luck to you.
Yes, it is frustrating, depressing, weird, scary. You are a comforting person. Best of luck to you.
Had an axillary node excised and biopsied. Only ct scan thus far. Would lymph node have an irregular border? Do you believe a pet scan is necessary?
I had to do a little research but your external iliac artery is an artery that runs near your pelvis and eventually turns into the very large femoral artery of the leg. It sounds like the CT scan picked up a spot that is opaque, or an area where X-rays can't pass through. I don't know if this is indicative for lymphoma or something else. Have you had a PET scan? A PET scan would at least show if that spot has high SUV's, which can indicate cancer or infection (PET scans can't distinguish between the two, that is why biopsy is the only definitive way to diagnose Lymphoma). Have you asked your doctor about it?
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