My husband's 25 year old nephew was diagnosed with lymphoma yesterday. According to what I read, lymphoma typically strikes two age groups the most, those over 60 and 16-35 year olds.

Cancer is bad enough, but here's the really bad part. He's been getting lumps throughout his body since April '06, and just now went to the doctor who biopsied one of them yesterday. I had know idea he was getting these lumps until two days ago, otherwise, I would have pressured him to get them looked at. He's got 80 lumps on various parts of his body, including one under his eyelid the size of a grape! I guess that's the one that made him go to a doctor finally.

Another bad thing...bloodwork shows liver and kidney involvement.

I spoke to him on the phone yesterday, and he broke down, sobbing, saying "I'm so scared." I told him that I know. I'm a cancer survivor myself, and according to my doctor, I should have died last Summer. Well, guess what? I never came close to it. My scans show "no evidence of metastatic disease."

He's going to see an oncologist on Monday. I'm going to go see him today. I feel as a cancer survivor, it is my duty to offer hope to a newly diagnosed person, especially one so young (I had just turned 31 when I was diagnosed).

That horrible skin doctor he went to for what he thought was infected sweat glands, actually had a "talk" with him after the surgery about transitioning from life to death! He doesn't need to hear this. He needs encouragement and hope. I mean, she's no oncolgist, nor God. How can she tell him he's going to die?

I can fully understand what he is going through! My mother was diagnosed with Lymphoma in 1998 and she was only 48. She had been having problems for weeks and I had been begging her to see a doctor for years before that. She finally went when she couldn't keep any food down for a week and one side of her face had come up like a foorball. She passed within nine months. I really wish your nephew well and I pass on my love and hope. Tell him that we are all thinking of him.

sorry to hear of your pain, and your nephew's pain DG. What is going to be is going to be..the course will lay itself out

I'm sorry to hear about this...I lost my best friend to lymphoma,
My best wishes that everything takes the right turn for your nephew.


[Edited 1/6/07 7:08am]

Stay stong, you survived, maybe he can also if he fights for it. He's lucky to have you around to support him

There are many types of lymphomas, Hodgkin, non-Hodgkins along with a multiltude of other more rare lymph cancers. Non-Hodgkins is the 6th most prevelant cancer in males in the U.S. His prognosis is dependant on type of lymphoma, stage of cancer, patient age and health, when it was diagnosed and whether it's a recurrance.
There's chemotherapy and radiation therapy to treat lymphoma. If the liver and kidney are involved it affects the approach to treatment. Having a good hematologist/oncologist gets him in the right direction. Ask what the prognosis is based on bloodwork, bone marrow biopsy, scans, etc. so at least your family have an idea of circumstances.
Sometimes there's a crossroad between how much pain and suffering one's willing to endure in treatment(painful surgeries, chemo, biopsies) and length and quality of life. Family should help as much as they can and support whatever decisions he makes even if you don't agree.
[Edited 1/6/07 8:01am]

I never understand why doctors SAY shit like that to people. What's the point in making somebody feel hopeless? Fuck, even if you think it IS hopeless, why say that to them?

I'm sorry.

You have my prayers...