Question:
Does Lymphoma have anything to do with Squamous cell carcinoma?
I have had swollen lymph nodes in my left inguinal area since a boil infection on my inner thigh last September. My dr gave me a course of antibiotics (augmentin) and the boil went away quickly but the lymph nodes remained swollen. In December last year I had an ultra sound that showed several swollen nodes and a small calcification in the area of the nodes.(The dr was not concerned about the calcification) I went for a CT of the nodes in Januray and it showed the same thing - but just the swollen nodes and caclification - nothing else. More antibiotics from my dr. I have no symptoms other than the swollen lymph nodes. Another round of Antibiotics - then in February my upper most swollen lymph node began to get red and hot and eventually developed a head and started draining. It drained for weeks - and my dr gave me yet another round of antibiotics and sent me for a biopsy. The biopsy came back as "consistant with Squamous cell carcinoma."
I went for another CT scan - this time including my abdomin and it showed the swollen nodes but no other problems.. I have had to wait 6 weeks to see my next dr who is a GYN Oncologist to see if there is something going on inside. I have no symptoms - no bleeding or pain - other than the lymph nodes. The lymph node next to the biopsied one is now red and hot and painful and has developed a head and is also draining... Does cancer do this? If this were truly serious - would they let me wait 6 weeks before the next step? It's driving me nuts.
Could this just be an infection and perhaps I've been on the wrong antibiotics? Could infection and inflammation mimic cancer in the biopsy?
Am I in the right place here?
Answer:
I never heard of this. Maybe a call to the doctor to ask questions would be a good idea. Even if it's an infection it shouldn't last this long.
Answer:
Thank you Debbifix for your reply!
I am finding that my doctor and the surgeon who performed the biopsy have little information for me about this and have simply referred me to the GYN-oncologist for an examination. The biopsy results came back on May 23rd and I immediately made an appointment with the GYN-oncol who was referred by the surgeon. The receptionist at the oncologists office asked me about my symptoms and the biopsy results as she scheduled me for the June 27th appointment - so she was aware of the "carcinoma" when she set my appointment for over a month away. I'm hoping that means it's not an agressive form of cancer...
Does Squamous cell carcinoma have anything to do with lymphoma? Or are they completely different types of cancer?
My uncle was diagnosed in February with Lymphoma. He found a egg sized lymph node on his shoulder. They biopsied it and found it to be lymphoma. They found another one on his neck and also in his spleen. He was immediately sent to a Tumor clinic in Idaho for chemo. He went through 4 courses of chemotherapy and just sent me an email that his cancer is gone!
He just turned 81 years old and his doctor warned him that sometimes chemo doesn't work as well for those in their 8th decade...But I guess he's one tough cookie!
Thanks again for your help in this!
Answer:
I've never heard that squamous cell carcinoma could be linked to lymphoma, but maybe someone else here is more knowledgeable