Talk Cancer

Question:

I went to the doctor because of right upper quandrant pain. He said I pointed to exactly where the gallbladder is and recommended a sonogram. After the sonogram my doctor told me that they found two nodules on my liver. He said they could be anything and that he wanted a CT scan to investigate further. I did the CT scan yesterday and I am quite worried. It is very hard, all the waiting. Does anyone know what my chances are? Could they just be cysts? Could my ache mean anything? If it is cancer what are my chances? I am afraid. Please help me.

Response:

Hi Frank, I’m not a doctor, I’m just the mother of a child with cancer. I can certainly appreciate your fear at the moment. You should know, however, that liver cancer is not that common. The odds are much more in favour of this being some benign condition, possibly a cyst. How long do you have to wait before you get the results of your scans? I know that when you are waiting for this sort of news, even minutes can seem like an eternity. Please, let us know how things turn out. Remember, it’s much more likely to be something very benign. All the best, Honna – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I went to the doctor because of right upper quandrant pain. He said I pointed to exactly where the gallbladder is and recommended a sonogram. After the sonogram my doctor told me that they found two nodules on my liver. He said they could be anything and that he wanted a CT scan to investigate further. I did the CT scan yesterday and I am quite worried. It is very hard, all the waiting. Does anyone know what my chances are? Could they just be cysts? Could my ache mean anything? If it is cancer what are my chances? I am afraid. Please help me.

Response:

I went to the doctor because of right upper quandrant pain. He said I pointed to exactly where the gallbladder is and recommended a sonogram. After the sonogram my doctor told me that they found two nodules on my liver. He said they could be anything and that he wanted a CT scan to investigate further. I did the CT scan yesterday and I am quite worried. It is very hard, all the waiting. Does anyone know what my chances are? Could they just be cysts? Could my ache mean anything? If it is cancer what are my chances? I am afraid. Please help me.

Frank, There are just so many things that it could be. At this point, I would say don’t worry, because worry will get you nothing.  Just go through the motions of having it checked out and evaluated, and assume the best. But act now!  Do not delay! Many of these things are fast acting and can progress rapidly from curable to incurable. If you have to have surgery, then do it. We do what we must in this life. I just went in for a surgery, the first of my adult life, and it was a lot easier than I thought.  They put the IV in, wheeled me in, started the drip in the IV bag, and literally the next thing I knew, I was waking up. It was really that easy. So don’t despair.  Go see the professionals, and let them do the sweating for you. And good luck. Scot Erse

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I went to the doctor because of right upper quandrant pain. He said I pointed to exactly where the gallbladder is and recommended a sonogram. After the sonogram my doctor told me that they found two nodules on my liver. He said they could be anything and that he wanted a CT scan to investigate further. I did the CT scan yesterday and I am quite worried. It is very hard, all the waiting. Does anyone know what my chances are? Could they just be cysts? Could my ache mean anything? If it is cancer what are my chances? I am afraid. Please help me.

Dear Frank, I ampathize with your restlessness about the possibility of  having cancer.  First of all, the "nodules" are discovered on the ultrasound and that means that they are most probably cysts. Cysts in liver are comman.  It may be a simple cysts , hemangioma (benign blood vessel problem),  infections (probably healed) etc.  I know that there is probably nothing I say can reduce your worries.  But regardless what it is, you can always do something about it.  At this time, the most important thing is be calm and collective.   The CT scan may not able to definitely tell you that it is a tumor. If there is a high degree of suspicious you may have to undergo radiologic guided biopsy. Even if it is a tumor, it may be a benign one.  If it is a malgnant tumor, there are ways to deal with it.  You can count on my moral support! William, Advocate for Information on Medicine, A.I.M.

Response:

Frank, I don’t know much about your situation, however, I know that cancer doesn’t cause any pain unless it is already progressed.  You say that they found two nodules on your liver.  If they are still small, then it could just irritate you and give you pain. Cancer would not show up that early. Try not to worry to much about it.  However, if you need to talk, you this message. I really hope everything works out for you.  Doctors sure take their time to tell you results, don’t they? Wishing you all the best, Marianna Strakhan – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I went to the doctor because of right upper quandrant pain. He said I pointed to exactly where the gallbladder is and recommended a sonogram. After the sonogram my doctor told me that they found two nodules on my liver. He said they could be anything and that he wanted a CT scan to investigate further. I did the CT scan yesterday and I am quite worried. It is very hard, all the waiting. Does anyone know what my chances are? Could they just be cysts? Could my ache mean anything? If it is cancer what are my chances? I am afraid. Please help me.

Response:

I went to the doctor because of right upper quandrant pain. He said I pointed to exactly where the gallbladder is and recommended a sonogram. After the sonogram my doctor told me that they found two nodules on my liver. He said they could be anything and that he wanted a CT scan to investigate further. I did the CT scan yesterday and I am quite worried. It is very hard, all the waiting. Does anyone know what my chances are? Could they just be cysts? Could my ache mean anything? If it is cancer what are my chances? I am afraid. Please help me.

I hope that your liver lesions are benign cysts.  The same thing as you mention happened to me.  After the catscan in 1990 the cysts were labeled benign but in 1995 I found out they were not.  I have carcinoid tumors in my liver.  They are slow growing and rare. Many people have benign cysts so lets hope that is the problem.  At a recent high school class reunion one of the women had benign cysts and they "ached". Anna

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