Aa
4 year old with posterior cervical lymphadenopathy
She has had this problem since the age of 6 months finally got a gp to take this seriously a ultrasound was ordered on the neck the results were as followed:
2cm hypoechoic vascular structure in the region of the lump. No definite fatty hilum is seen. the typical single stalk of vascularity is not definitely identified on these images.
The vascular mass in the region of palpable finding could represent a benign lymph node although the typical fatty hilum and single stalk of vascularity and benign lymph nodes is not definitely seen on todays study.
2cm hypoechoic vascular structure in the region of the lump. No definite fatty hilum is seen. the typical single stalk of vascularity is not definitely identified on these images.
The vascular mass in the region of palpable finding could represent a benign lymph node although the typical fatty hilum and single stalk of vascularity and benign lymph nodes is not definitely seen on todays study.
COMMUNITY LEADER
That does't quite make sense to me. I'd guess maybe they tested for Hodgkin's Lymphoma, which has cells that possess a very distinctive "owl eyes" look under a microscope. Next they'll test for non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, which is not quite as easy to see. Still, a pathologist looking through a microscope would have spotted signs of NHL, or not.
It really helps to keep a notebook with questions to ask of doctors and answers that you receive. Times are stressful and it's very easy to forget.
It really helps to keep a notebook with questions to ask of doctors and answers that you receive. Times are stressful and it's very easy to forget.
well its been a week now no definitive results the only thing they could tell was they had tested for a one of the two types of lymphoma which was negative. they have not tested for the other type. I forgot to ask while on the phone would they be ordering these types of tests if the tissue came back normal. Or would they be doing these tests because the tissue came back as abnormal.
COMMUNITY LEADER
No, I don't think that situation qualifies as matted nodes, which are normally-separated nodes that are connected (by the cancer tissue) and move together.
It seems at this point that instead she has long had several normal nodes that just happened to be positioned right on top of each other and seemed like one big node. This explains why there was no "single stalk". To me (not just merely trying to be falsely optimistic), this seems like a very good discovery.
I don't know of any way that a cancer can cause nodes to draw close to each other and cluster like that, so she probably had that from birth. I'm guessing that the biopsy will turn out to be benign. A false alarm.
When is your post-op meeting with the surgeon? I'm looking forward to good news about the biopsy.
It seems at this point that instead she has long had several normal nodes that just happened to be positioned right on top of each other and seemed like one big node. This explains why there was no "single stalk". To me (not just merely trying to be falsely optimistic), this seems like a very good discovery.
I don't know of any way that a cancer can cause nodes to draw close to each other and cluster like that, so she probably had that from birth. I'm guessing that the biopsy will turn out to be benign. A false alarm.
When is your post-op meeting with the surgeon? I'm looking forward to good news about the biopsy.
The biopsy was completed this morning I had a chance to speak with the surgeon he informed me that it wasnot a single lymph node but rather several stuck ttogether is there more of a chance of this being malignant because of matting I think is the correct word ?
COMMUNITY LEADER
This must be extremely difficult for you, but it's still too early to expect the worst. Lymphoma in a child under 5 is very unusual.
Still, you can get a little acquainted with some facts. (The following applies to adults, I don't know how much applies to children.) Some lymphomas are slow growing (called 'indolent'). But if a lymphoma is fast growing (aggressive), the docs want to start treatment right away. Ironically, fast growing types usually respond better to treatment - the fast growing lymphoma cells get killed off easier.
Also, there are newer types of treatments, such as Rituxan. This kind isn't so toxic to the whole body, as old-fashioned chemo is. No hair loss or overall sickness, for example. The person just sits in a recliner chair for a few hours hooked up to an IV, then goes home like normal.
There are some leukemias that make one or more nodes grow, but then you would have mentioned a high white blood cell count if that existed.
Btw, a biopsy on the back of the neck is probably safer than some other spots (like the front of the neck) would be. There aren't major nerves or blood vessels there to worry about.
Good luck on Tuesday.
Still, you can get a little acquainted with some facts. (The following applies to adults, I don't know how much applies to children.) Some lymphomas are slow growing (called 'indolent'). But if a lymphoma is fast growing (aggressive), the docs want to start treatment right away. Ironically, fast growing types usually respond better to treatment - the fast growing lymphoma cells get killed off easier.
Also, there are newer types of treatments, such as Rituxan. This kind isn't so toxic to the whole body, as old-fashioned chemo is. No hair loss or overall sickness, for example. The person just sits in a recliner chair for a few hours hooked up to an IV, then goes home like normal.
There are some leukemias that make one or more nodes grow, but then you would have mentioned a high white blood cell count if that existed.
Btw, a biopsy on the back of the neck is probably safer than some other spots (like the front of the neck) would be. There aren't major nerves or blood vessels there to worry about.
Good luck on Tuesday.
Thank you for the help the biopsy was ordered for Tuesday the 21st of oct because of her age and she is showing mild symptoms thank you for the tip of asking right after ill see what I can find out. the wait is driving me nuts the unkown is too.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Well, you are doing the right thing. Hopefully the time until the biopsy will pass quickly. Meantime, you can educate yourself as much as possible so as to maximize your time with any doctors and not waste time on simple questions.
I'd be sure to talk to the surgeon right after the biopsy because they will know some things just by the look with the naked eye. That's better than waiting days for the followup appointment.
I'd be sure to talk to the surgeon right after the biopsy because they will know some things just by the look with the naked eye. That's better than waiting days for the followup appointment.
Sorry should have explained better it has grown about a centimeter since it was first noticed but on another note we saw a pediatric surgeon today with conformation of it being a lymph node he wants to biopsy it also its only present on her right side
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hi, first off what you have going for you is that the node apparently hasn't grown in size for a long time.
What's a fatty hilum? That's the region of a node where the blood vessels enter and leave - sort of like where the vine enters a tomato. In a normal node, there is also detectable fat at that spot.
'Vascularity' means the blood supply. Typically in a normal node, that also corresponds to the single stalk (a single artery) - once again like a vine entering a tomato.
When the fatty hilum is gone, that usually (but not necessarily!) means that a node is cancerous. Rarely, the fatty hilum can have been erased by really destructive inflammation.
If there are a lot of smaller blood vessels going to (and inside) a node, that usually (but not necessarily!) means that a node is cancerous - because a cancer forces the body to make new blood vessels to feed it.
BUT!! From the sono report it seems that it isn't really known for sure that the bump in question actually is a node. It might be just a mass of blood vessels, maybe a hemangioma.
The surgeon will determine if a biopsy seems like the right thing to do next. Or maybe the surgeon would want to open it up and see what it is for sure - that was common before sonograms were available.
Good luck, there is a good chance that it is just some oddity and not a cancerous lymph node.
What's a fatty hilum? That's the region of a node where the blood vessels enter and leave - sort of like where the vine enters a tomato. In a normal node, there is also detectable fat at that spot.
'Vascularity' means the blood supply. Typically in a normal node, that also corresponds to the single stalk (a single artery) - once again like a vine entering a tomato.
When the fatty hilum is gone, that usually (but not necessarily!) means that a node is cancerous. Rarely, the fatty hilum can have been erased by really destructive inflammation.
If there are a lot of smaller blood vessels going to (and inside) a node, that usually (but not necessarily!) means that a node is cancerous - because a cancer forces the body to make new blood vessels to feed it.
BUT!! From the sono report it seems that it isn't really known for sure that the bump in question actually is a node. It might be just a mass of blood vessels, maybe a hemangioma.
The surgeon will determine if a biopsy seems like the right thing to do next. Or maybe the surgeon would want to open it up and see what it is for sure - that was common before sonograms were available.
Good luck, there is a good chance that it is just some oddity and not a cancerous lymph node.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Community
An interview with the co-discoverer of one of the biggest breakthroughs in cancer research
From causes to treatment options, get answers to your questions about CML, a type of blood cancer
New drug options on the horizon may make CML, a type of blood cancer, one of the few success stories in cancer treatment
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
