Q&A: ? about extragonadal mediastinal germ cell tumor (yolk sac)?
Question by T S: ? about extragonadal mediastinal germ cell tumor (yolk sac)?
My fiance has been diagnosed with germ cell tumor that started in his chest. The tumor was the size of a grapefruit that had collapsed his left lung and started to block off his airway. He has been in the hospital 3 weeks and was in ICU for 2 weeks. They said that they did not believe he had the Klienfeld syndrome because he did not have any of the characteristics of it. I was wondering what may have caused this, if anything makes it more prone to have it, what are the survival rates for this and does anyone know where a community board is for care givers to deal with germ cell tumor cancer? The doctors does not really tell us anything, they say “he is really sick” I know it has spread to his lymph nodes. They have him on chemo already. He has been on a ventilator to help him breathe. Is there a survival rating? I don’t know what questions to ask the doctors and they don’t really want to tell you anything unless you ask them straight up. If he survives, will the chemo or the cancer affect his fertility? He doesn’t have insurance either so we are in the process of trying to get him on SSI or medicaid. We were going to get married this summer, so another ? would be if we eloped would my income (around 20k annually) affect him getting SSI? He has no income now and just got out of college so didn’t have a job either.
Sorry I did miss spell that, the doctors here said they did not believe he had Klinefelter’s syndrome, 47, XXY or XXY syndrome because he did not have any characteristics of it. They have not tested him for it because he didn’t look like he had it. He is at a hosptial that is with a college of medicine so he has lots of interns coming in and studying him. They said it is a rare cancer.
Best answer:
Answer by Spreedog
This is a real nightmare situation. I saw this once in my twenty years as a cancer specialist doctor. These do respond to chemotherapy. No one knows what causes these. A cure with this volume of disease is difficult but not impossible. The expense will be impossible for anyone but a Kennedy in this day in the U.S. His fertility will likely be affected by the chemotherapy – depending on which drugs they use. The medical oncologist should be explaining all of this in detail. That is part of the job. Much of my time as a medical oncologist was spent providing explanations for patients and their family members. This is a true battle. Fast growing malignancies like this can be fast shrinking tumors with treatment, but they can come back quickly also.
Best of luck to you both. I’m afraid you will need it.
Hope you can get Medicaid. No one I have ever known could afford the bills you will see for this type of care in the U.S. with no insurance coverage. Perfect example of what’s wrong with our health care reimbursement system in the USA.
The young man I cared for in this situation did gain a good response to chemotherapy. He had a complete remission – meaning we could not see any more cancer on CT scans. But the cancer came back and ended his life.
Did you mean Klinefelter’s syndrome, 47, XXY or XXY syndrome?
Here’s a good site for you to review http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/278174-overview
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Categories: News Tags: extragonadal, germ, mediastinal, tumor, cell, about, yolk
Neuroendocrine Tumor | Dr. Tony Talebi discusses “What is a Neuroendocrine Tumor?”
Dr. Tony Talebi discusses the general concepts of “What is a neuroendocrine tumor?” with Dr. Strosberg. For further information visit www.HemOnc101.com What is a Neuroendocrine Tumor Neuroendocrine tumors are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms that vary in their appearance, biologic behavior, symptoms, and response to treatment. Several types of neuroendocrine tumors (eg, carcinoid tumors, pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, medullary thyroid cancers, pheochromocytomas) are characterized by slow growth and frequent secretion of hormones or vasoactive substances. In most cases, these tumors also have typical histologic appearance and are accurately diagnosed with standard pathologic methods (light microscopy and immunohistochemical staining). Other neuroendocrine tumors, typified by small cell carcinoma of the lung, are highly aggressive neoplasms, and are usually advanced when diagnosed. Well differentiated neuroendocrine tumors originating in the gastrointestinal tract (carcinoid, pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors) are the most common neuroendocrine tumors. However, these are not the most common neuroendocrine tumors presenting with unknown primary site, since most are diagnosed at an early stage and cured by surgical resection. Poorly differentiated neuroendocrine tumors are characterized by multiple sites of metastases and rarely produce symptoms related to secretion of bioactive substances. Accurate distinction of well differentiated, indolent tumors from poorly …
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Q&A: How can you tell the difference between a tumor, cancer, cysts, and swollen lymph nodes?
Question by Tim: How can you tell the difference between a tumor, cancer, cysts, and swollen lymph nodes?
Best answer:
Answer by freshbliss
Biopsy
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Q&A: On Dec 18, My Dad was diagnosed with a brain tumor in his cerebellum, (larger than a golf ball), He had a?
Question by sandy c: On Dec 18, My Dad was diagnosed with a brain tumor in his cerebellum, (larger than a golf ball), He had a?
craniotomy on Dec. 26, The tumor showed to be lung cancer that has spread to his brain. He has tumors in both lungs, 1 adrenal gland, and possibly his stomach,(he is having a pet scan on Monday). The doctors will not give us a prognosis. Please help me understand how long he may possibly have to live. Thank you
Best answer:
Answer by Soccerlover
Im sorry I dont know. It all depends on his body. Again im very sorry and just pray every night for a merical.
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The Spectra of Somatic Mutations Across Many Tumor Types – Michael Lawrence
The Cancer Genome Atlas’ 1st Annual Scientific Symposium November 17-18, 2011 More: www.genome.gov
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tumor stained positive for…?
Question by Pierce: tumor stained positive for…?
what does it mean when tumor cells stain positively for …
a) pancytokeratin
b) vimentin
c) CK-7
d) CEA
and also, it stains negatively for TTF-1
Our current doctor was only responsible for removing the tumor and for the surgery. He is not exactly brushed up on what all of this means and the appointment with the actual doctor setting up the chemo treatment is a few days from now. They mention that they are optimistic with my father who had the tumor removed, but we still want to know more before the actual appointment. This tumor was stage 3 – non-small cell lung cancer which I heard is the better one to deal with than the other kind within stage 3 (small cell). Does anyone know what all of this means? what these tests signify? Thanks – any answers or directions to a directory spellling this out in laymans terms would be great.
Best answer:
Answer by Denisedds
These are stains ordered by the pathologist to confirm their diagnosis and are really of no significance to the patient. For example CK7 is a tumor marker that tests positive in tumors above the diaphragm. The CEA will be used by the oncologist to monitor treatment.
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3 cm tumor in my father’s lung?
Question by Kevin B: 3 cm tumor in my father’s lung?
Right… So my father is a truck drive… smoker for 35 years… 2 packs a day.. yeah. 2 days ago… ONLY 2 days ago, he got out of his truck, feeling normal and BOOM, pain in his left lung when breathing. All of a sudden. He got x-rays and ct scan.. Doctor found a 3 cm mass in his left lung… He was in Laredo TX and lives in Quebec, Canada.. So they sent him home.. he got a new ct scan.. Doctors say its not blood clots… He’ll have a biopsy tomorrow.. But one doctor thinks it might be an infection since the pain started very suddenly, he didnt have any symptoms but fatigue recently… He had fever and chills… And I had tonsilitis recently and I’m affraid I gave him my bacteria.. anyways what do you guys think?
Best answer:
Answer by Denisedds
His doctors appear to not agree, we can’t see the x-rays or the reports so there is nothing to think at this point.
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Q&A: My mom has smoked for 55 yrs. She’s had lung cancer, breast cancer, and a benign brain tumor.?
Question by neyney: My mom has smoked for 55 yrs. She’s had lung cancer, breast cancer, and a benign brain tumor.?
She also has macular degeneration and is legally blind. She is now 78. She won’t quit smoking (about 1 pack a day) but she does gardening, walks and eats healthy. She also drinks a lot of coffee, even in the evening. What are the chances that she will live past 80?
Best answer:
Answer by Isai
1%
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Lung Cancer Tumor Treatment: Las Vegas Cyberknife at Summerlin
Las Vegas Cyberknife at Summerlin is the first center of its kind in all of Las Vegas and Southern Nevada. Cyberknife is REVOLUTIONARY technology for treating tumors throughout the body with radiation obtaining absolute precision (sub-millimeter accuracy). This is a non-invasive treatment. Cyberknife’s combined technology, a robot with imaging detectors in the floor and ceiling, and very sophisticated software enable the Cyberknife to approach a tumor from any direction, all the while detecting, tracking and treating tumors (fixed or in motion) with submillimeter accuracy, and the patient breathes naturally throughout treatment. This precision means Cyberknife can treat a tumor with a very high dose, reducing treatment times to 5 days or less (each treatment 20-30 minutes with set up) VS other systems requiring 45 days in a row. No side effects, No pain, Non-invasive Tumors come in all shapes, sizes and locations throughout the body. Our Comprehensive Cancer Center of Nevada (CCCN) Radiation Oncologists will help you determine the best option for your radiation treatment. CCCN has multiple radiation centers with other technologies throughout Las Vegas and Southern Nevada and will work with you to determine the optima treatment for your unique condition. call us for a consult: 702-233-2200 www.cyberknifeoflasvegas.com
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Q&A: Tumor Found in Supraclavicular Node 8 months after breast cancer treatment, could this be metastasis? ?
Question by Audrey H: Tumor Found in Supraclavicular Node 8 months after breast cancer treatment, could this be metastasis? ?
Diagnosed March 2007 with Stage 1 breast cancer, right breast. Axillary node removed, negative for cancer. Went through chemo and radiation, finished in February 2008. Went to follow-up October 13, first time for follow-up needed a break from doctors for a while. Complained of pain which I have had for the last 2-3 months from top of right breast to over shoulder and down the back. Sono showed tumor in supraclavicular node, right side. I have a CT scan on Thursday the 30th.
What does a CT scan show? Being that I just finished cancer treatment seems metastasis is the likely answer?
Best answer:
Answer by Panda
Hopefully it will turn out to be benign or something different, but yes metastasis is always a worry once you’ve been diagnosed with cancer.
Cancer can be very deceptive. A CT will give a better image of the tumor or spot and also may give indication if there are any more tumors to be seen. Be persistent about this . . you need to know exactly what you are dealing with. Also if this turns out to be nothing it is always a good idea to have CT or even a PET scan to use as a ‘baseline’ . . the doctor needs to have the scans to compare every three to six months to make sure the cancer is gone or to measure tumor shrinkage or track relapse.
Good luck and stay strong.
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Categories: News Tags: months., after, supraclavicular, found, metastasis, node, treatment, could, this, cancer
PSA and Tumor Markers for Prostate Bone Metastasis?
Question by Sammy: PSA and Tumor Markers for Prostate Bone Metastasis?
This message pertains to the utility of Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA), for the treatment of Advanced Prostate Cancer.
PSA writes Dr. John Lee (Harmone Balance for Men) is produced both within the Prostate Gland and the Breast Tissue. He further writes that the normal cells produce PSA, an anti angiogenesis defence when there are abnormally growing cells in the prostate. This seems to indicate that the PSA has no correlation with what is happening in the bone and anywhere outside prostate. Is this correct?
There are further questions:
(a) How do we monitor bone metastasis and other situations where the cancer has escaped out of prostate. (non-Bone Scan/MRI options)
(b) Are there other prostate tumor markers that can tell us the tumor loads/tumor activity in non prostate areas such as the bones.
(c) Will Acid Phosphatase levels inform us the status of prostate metastasis on bone.
(d) Are Osteoblastic/Osteocystic/Osteocytic rates right parameters to track.
Sam
Best answer:
Answer by Joe S
There are a few misconceptions here.
* PSA is manufactured almost exclusively by prostate cells. Although there are a few other cell types that can make minute quantities of it, their contribution is so small that PSA is indeed, for all practical purposes, a prostate-_specific_ marker.
However, that doesn’t mean it measures only cells that reside in the prostate gland.
* In a person with normal prostatic health, prostate cells reside only in the prostate gland. But in a person with advanced prostate cancer, most of his prostate cells have traveled to areas outside the prostate, typically the bones and lungs.
Therefore, for men with advanced prostate cancer, PSA is normally the single best way of tracking the cancer, since it correlates so well with the number of prostate cells in the body — both within the gland (if it’s still there) and outside the gland, and thus presumably cancerous.
(a) To specifically find bone metastases, one would normally use an imaging technique, such as a bone scan, a CT scan, and/or a PET scan (preferably one that uses 11C-choline rather than 18F-FDG). It’s unclear why someone would try to monitor bone metastasis without any attempt to image the bones, so I don’t know what prompts the question. (Not all imaging techniques use radioactive tracers, for example. And if expense is an issue, then maybe consider simple X-rays.)
(b) There are indeed other tumor markers, but none of them are specific to rogue prostate cells that are in the _bones_, as opposed to rogue prostate cells generally. Such tumor markers include: PSMA, PAP, NSE, CGA, and CEA.
(c) Yes and no. PAP (prostatic acid phosphatase) is useful as a tumor marker, but no tumor marker, so far as I know, can possibly differentiate betwee bone and non-bone metastasis.
(d) Yes and no. If you’re focusing only on the bone, then you are interested in overall rates of bone-building (osteoblastic) and bone-resorption (osteoclastic) activity. But you won’t know _where_ the activity is occurring.
Most importantly: In a person has advanced prostate cancer, bone issues are one of the consequences. But it’s much more important to tend to the cancer itself than to focus on only one of its consequences. If a car is heading downhill and its brakes are failing, one of the consequences will be tiretread left on the roadway. Rather than trying to measure and track the tiretread, it’s more important to find a turnoff, or a soft ditch, or (best) an alternate braking system.
Good luck!
(BTW, I’m now also a member of the PCa tribe.)
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Q&A: Is it possible for cancer to exist without a tumor?
Question by Computer Guy: Is it possible for cancer to exist without a tumor?
A friend of mine recently told me she has lung cancer. She then told me that she would be having surgery about a month later. When I asked her if they were going to remove the tumor, she said that there was no tumor. She’s seemed sketchy about things in the past, but if she’s lying about something like this…well, that takes the cake.
Best answer:
Answer by Ilya D
Cancer can exist in your lymph nodes, but if there is no tumor, it seems unlikely that a surgery would help without Chemotherapy and radiation treatment.
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Surgeon who specializes in tumor removals or alternative medicine?
Question by : Surgeon who specializes in tumor removals or alternative medicine?
My mother has had cancer for five years now, but this tumor began growing in July of 2010.
Because of many hassles with doctors, including lies claiming that it was a bug bite and then a cyst, even with our repeating that she has a history of cancer, we cannot remove it.
The main reason why Kaiser has refused to remove her tumor is because of a major artery it connects to. They said they can’t remove it without hitting that artery, which will put her onto life support until she dies.
I’m still searching for a miracle. I’ve seen on TV massive facial tumors being removed, and I’m searching for anything. The tumor covers the entire left side of her face now, and it’s beginning to cover her mouth. If we don’t find something out soon, it’s going to end up crushing her skull. We’re lucky that it hasn’t affected her brain yet.
So please, is there any surgeon ANYWHERE who might have a shot at this? Or any treatment that we can do? I’m desperate now, and the internet is all I have left to find a solution.
she’s had lymphoma, colon, and thyroid cancer.
my story shouldn’t make sense. it’s not my fault that we spent 6 months trying to force the doctors to do something just to hear over and over again that it was as small as a bug bite. the tumor is feeding off of the blood, so the doctor’s excuse is if it were to be removed, they would have to cut the arteries, and if one of them were to be altered she would either bleed to death or be put on life support.
honestly i really don’t care if it doesnt “make sense.” if you’re not here to help, then you might as well not say anything at all. I’m 17 years old with a dying mother, the one person in my family who supports me, the last thing I care about is if my story makes sense to you.
Best answer:
Answer by april
That’s probably not cancer, but a benign growth. Your second paragraph, I just don’t believe.
With her history of cancer, has she had surgery, chemo, radiation?? Tumors on the outside don’t crush your skull and if it’s not a cancerous tumor, it won’t affect her brain either. She can get her records and go to any other dr. On their opinion, can be referred to another hospital for their opinion. Or she can just go to another hospital also.
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Categories: News Tags: medicine, removals, specializes, surgeon, alternative, tumor
20 kilo tumor, removed from mans face, new world record.
A Chinese man recovers from surgery that removed part of his facial tumors, which weigh more than 20 kilograms in total. A Chinese man says he is relieved after a part of his facial tumours, which weighed about 23 kilogrammes, was removed. Yet doctors say the surgery has caused him to lose his balance.
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An introduction to esophageal cancer by a team of doctors and nurses at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. It covers definitions, diagnosis and treatment, the surgical process, pain management, eating, talking, and clinical trials. Staff interviewed include Dr. Bill Putnam, Chair of Thoracic Surgery; Dr. Eric Lambright of Thoracic Surgery; Reanne Fryz, RN, APRN, Nurse Practitioner in Thoracic Surgery; Daniel P. Werle, RN, APRN, Nurse Practitioner in Thoracic Surgery; Dr. Alan Sandler, Medical Director of Thoracic Oncology; and Jean Barnes, RN, Research Clinical Specialist.
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Q&A: My dog has breast cancer and a tumor, is it worth getting the surgery?
Question by Eddie: My dog has breast cancer and a tumor, is it worth getting the surgery?
She’s 9 years old and it’ll cost $ 350-450 to get it taken care of. Even if she gets the surgery the cancer may or may not come back. She’s a dachshund and dachshunds generally live anywhere between 12-15 years. Do you think its worth getting the surgery? If so why?
Thanks, Eddie
Best answer:
Answer by Zoe
IF you really love your dog, I would get the surgery.
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Interrogating Circulating Tumor Cells to Direct Targeted Cancer Therapies
Air date: Wednesday, May 26, 2010, 3:00:00 PM Timedisplayed is Eastern Time, Washington DC Local Category: Wednesday Afternoon Lectures Description: Dr. Haber will present the development and characterization of a microfluidic device for the efficient capture of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from blood specimens of patients with cancer. These cells represent potential biomarkers with which to follow disease progression, as well as providing important biological information into the process of metastasis. Examples will be provided, including the monitoring of tumor genotypes in EGFR-mutant lung cancer, as well as the molecular characterization of CTCs from patients with localized and metastastic prostate cancer. His laboratory interests have focused on the area of cancer genetics, including the etiology of the pediatric kidney cancer Wilms tumor and genetic predisposition to breast cancer. Recently, his laboratory reported that lung cancers with activating mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) are uniquely sensitive to tyrosine kinase inhibitors that target this receptor. This observation has had important implications for the genotype-directed treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, and more broadly for strategies to identify critical genetic lesions in cancers that may serve as an “Achilles heel” and be suitable for molecular targeting. In collaboration with Dr. Mehmet Toner’s laboratory, Dr. Haber’s laboratory has recently established the …
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Categories: Videos Tags: circulating, direct, therapies, interrogating, targeted, cells, cancer, tumor
My step daugher has uterine cancer, a malignant germ tumor. Any survivors with info on treatments following su?
Question by JAurbanpeacegarden: My step daugher has uterine cancer, a malignant germ tumor. Any survivors with info on treatments following su?
We are still in shock as she lost her twins one week before her due date due to an accident a few months back. Everyone in the family is looking up info. I thought I would reach out to the Yahoo Answers community to see if anyone is familiar with this cancer and its treatments – before or after the total hysterectomy. Thanks for sharing.
Best answer:
Answer by guitarboizac
Unfortunately I am not very familiar with germ tumors, but I do know about the reproductive system enough to say that you could definitely get some form of either internal or external radiation therapy and one HUGE thing is after your daughter comes out of surgery, make sure she does NOT stay stationary for too long and make sure she moves around a bit everyday for awhile to make sure she doesn’t devolp a pulmonary embolism, which is a moving clot of air inside her lung that coul travel to her heart during the process in which the blood fro the heart and lungs are exchanged. I’m sorry that I couldn’t help much, but I wanted to tell what I did know 
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Categories: News Tags: cancer, malignant, info, step, germ, survivors, following, treatments, tumor, daugher
Is it possible to cough up a lung (or piece of) or a tumor? ?
Question by purpledents: Is it possible to cough up a lung (or piece of) or a tumor? ?
Please provide a link or proof of answer. Thanks!
Best answer:
Answer by -Ashley Renea-
ive coughed some white chunks before but i heard they were only mucus
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Question about cancer : My dad discovered a suprarenal tumor 8 years ago.?
Question by michael scofield 88: Question about cancer : My dad discovered a suprarenal tumor 8 years ago.?
It was a big tumor.He had it surgically removed but remnants of the tumor remained of course.He started taking the medication Lysodren (mitotane).He is still on it as we speak.He also started taking glucocorticoids in order to compensate for the hormones released from the adrenal cortex which is now inactive due to the use of mitotane.Up till now the tumor is suppressed.About a year ago he discovered cancerous leukoplakia on his tongue.He had them surgically removed but they keep appearing and he keeps removing them surgically.So my question is : Is there a relation between the oral administration of mitotane and glucocorticoids and the appearance of oral cancer ? And what other methods of treatment other than surgical excision are available for small cancerous leukoplakia? Please this is very important for me.Thanks a lot
Best answer:
Answer by Max B
I highly doubt that the oral medication has anything to do with the oral cancer. The drugs wouldn’t be active until they are taken up into the blood through the intestines.
Aslo with all cancers the only way to get rid of them is to remove the cancerous tissue. Either surgically or with radiation therapy. Often times both are used.
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Categories: News Tags: cancer, discovered, tumor, question, suprarenal, ago., about, years
What happens if a doctor accidentally finds a tumor in an x-ray?
Question by Ari.: What happens if a doctor accidentally finds a tumor in an x-ray?
I’m writing a story in which a relatively healthy 25 year old man gets into a serious car accident. While everyone thinks that this is horrible, because it is, it could very well have saved his life because during one of the x-rays, doctors found a tumor. The whereabouts of this tumor I’m not entirely sure yet (I know that you can catch tumors very early and remove them before they turn cancerous, right? Can a benign tumor turn malignant if it festers for too long?)…
I really need some help, I’m horrible at this medical stuff.
Where might the tumor be? He doesn’t smoke so I don’t think lung cancer would be something very “normal” in someone of his age and health. I’d prefer not to go with brain tumor (because this is a fanfiction and someone else on the show already went through that), so perhaps a tumor on his liver? I know that liver tumors don’t show very many signs early on, and that could be why finding it so early via his accident could be a good thing.
What might they do once this tumor is found? He has been undergoing surgery for his other injuries…If it is benign/very early in its progression, what would they do to treat it? Would they just remove it and then wait and see if it comes back or would he get medication for it?
I’m going to try to limit myself with all the medical jargon to save myself from looking stupid in case someone who actually knows a thing or two about this kind of stuff decides to read it. However, I do need to know what I’m talking about and googling things only helps so much! There is too much information online about cancer and not enough about finding tumors by “accident”.
Help?
Best answer:
Answer by Kathy
You could have a tumor on his colon,very common. Which could be benign , then turn into cancer. They could remove it, and if found early he would be free of cancer. He could have a spot on his liver, which would be removed early too, with no future occurences. BOTH tumors, and any tumor could be assessed with a routine x-ray or CT scan. You are not stupid,your ideas sound great.
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