I found out this weekend (accidentally, but that would be a thread for the Pit) that my ex has been diagnosed with lymphoma. I’m assuming non-Hodgkins. I’ve looked at sites dealing with the disease and now know the survival rates and treatments.
The problem is that she waited for five months after finding lumps in her jaw area before going to a doctor. She also has a history of lumpectomy for breast cancer a few years ago. Does anyone have first-hand experience (family/friends) about this sort of situation?
Does the fact that she waited this long mean the survival odds drop dramatically? Or does it just mean that the treatments become more radical or last longer? Could this be a result of the breast cancer recurring, or is the lymph system a separate issue? They’ll be doing a full scan to find out more, but my information line is not a good one. Thanks.
Only one person . . . But my cousin had lymphoma—was diagnosed about ten years ago, when she was 30-ish; had her lymph glands removed (it had spread) and—after lots of chemo and radiation—she is in tentative remission.
Still on meds and has to go for constant testing, of course.
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma isn’t a single disease; it’s a whole groups of separate (but related) malignancies, with very different clinical behavior and survival rates. You’ll have to find out more specifics about the exact type of lymphoma your ex has been diagnosed with if you want more accurate information on her condition. You’ll also need to know what stage her disease is in (which her doctors won’t know until they’ve finished her staging workup). The more widespread the lymphoma, the worse her prognosis is likely to be.
The lymph system is a separate organ system from the breast; this isn’t a result of her breast cancer recurring. However, some chemotherapy treatments for cancers (including breast cancer) do put a person at higher risk of developing a lymphoma years later.
Thanks for the info. It confirms my fear that I didn’t have nearly enough information. Unfortunately, gaining that info could prove difficult, given her predisposition to martyrdom.
What about the fact that she waited five months before getting the biopsy vis-a-vis the survival prognosis?
Again, it depends on the type of lymphoma. For many, it makes no difference - they are equally indolent and/or incurable at all stages. For others, yes, the delay will have worsened the prognosis.
Thanks for the link. Amazing that out of the thousands of people who read this board, only a couple of people apparently have any experience with this.
I know that my children are very upset and any information I can gather to help put their minds at ease is going to help