Bellini
member
Reged: 12/03/2008
Posts: 141
Loc: New Forest
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This is a really tricky one. My neighbour (who I don't know that well) has a little boy of 3 who has been poorly for about 3 weeks. He has enlarged lymph glands in his abdomen and is suffering from terrible night sweats. She is taking him to the doctor constantly and he is on antibiotics.
My concern is that my husband has lymphoma and also has enlarged lymph glands. One of the main symptoms of lymphoma is the night sweats. I have no idea is this would apply in childhood lymphoma and I don't want to suggest it to my neighbour in case it really freaks her out unnecessarily. Should I just keep quiet and let her trust in her own GP? I would hate to be thought of as an interfering busybody but it would be terrible to overlook something as important as this.
Has anyone experience of a childhood illness like this?
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JulieJ
member
Reged: 29/12/2008
Posts: 549
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I know I'm coming from a corner that some may call paranoid, but then my husband died last year of late diagnosed cancer (of which, incidentally, night sweats were a clear but unrecognised symtom)(unrecognised by us, as he didn't tell his GP!)(it wasn't lymphona, it was the other cancer that typically causes night sweats, which is kidney cancer). And therefore I can understand exactly what your fears are.
So, I'm afraid, I would do one of the following. Either tell her directly or, perhaps, even better first of all, talk to your husband's oncologist or specialist nurse, or even his GP, and get their reaction.
As for being a busybody - I put it to you that you will feel a LOT worse if it turns out, eventually, that this poor little kiddy did have lymphona all along, and that you didn't warn the mother it might be.
Always remember that GPs see only a handful of cancer patients a year - fewer than ten on average, if that! - and there is notorious evidence for far too much misdiagnosis by GPs - it really does depend so much on whether they are 'cancer aware'. Many GPs, as we know, dismiss maternal fears as 'fussing' as well. It could well be, of courrse, that your neighbour's GP (do you know who they are, by the way?!) is well aware of the possibility of lymphona, but is trying out antibiotics first, to hope that it is less harmfull (again, as you will know all too well, cancer is also extremely rare in the population, so the odds on it being cancer are small - yet, of course, despite that, people do get cancer all the same....)
All the very best, and, for my part, I share your fears, and would take some kind of action, and give some kind of warning - can you check out on child lymphona groups at all, or even talk to your own lymphona group people???
Julie.
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scottishmags
member
Reged: 24/04/2009
Posts: 1302
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Hi bellini
I think I would encourage her to ask to be referred on for a second opinion if the situation goes on much longer but I'd really hesitate to offer any opinion about what the illness might be
If she takes the little one to see a specialist they'll be best placed to decide on the appropriate treatment - you're right, GPs aren't infallible
It's great that you're concerned and advising her to seek further help is the best thing to do I think
Mags
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Vinca
member
Reged: 19/10/2008
Posts: 2375
Loc: Kent
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Hi Bellini,
I can undersatnd why you are tempted to suggest a diagnosis to your neighbour, but I think it would be dangerous to do so. The symptoms of illnesses in children differ so much from adults, and if you made a mistake it could have repurcussions. Your neighbour's GP is probably going through a list of likely possibilities, and childhood cancers are, thankfully, quite rare, and would be lower down on a list of illnesses.
The best way forward is to continue to be neighbourly, offering help and sympathy if she needs it. Just keep your fingers crossed that her little boy isn't suffering from anything sinister.
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JulieJ
member
Reged: 29/12/2008
Posts: 549
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You could always suggest, if she is unwilling to disturb her GP by asking for a second opinion, that she simply takes her kiddy down to A&E on a quiet day (eg, not Friday/Saturday when they are sweeping up the drunks.....), and get her straight into being seen by a hospital doctor (who DO see seriously ill patients, and are therefore more clued up about things like cancer!).
Personaly, I wouldn't wait another day.
Best, Julie.
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JulieJ
member
Reged: 29/12/2008
Posts: 549
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"Your neighbour's GP is probably going through a list of likely possibilities, "
Sorry - disagree strongly! As I say, it MAY be that they are well aware it could indeed be lymphona, but everyone who has experience of cancer as patients and carers has a library of 'horror stories' we've gathered along the way of patients being misdiagnosed and dismissed by their GPs. Obvoiusly not all GPs are so clueless, but a dangerous number are!
The more I think about it, the more I think the best is talk urgently to your husband's CNS, then take the mother and child down to A&E yourself. Better safe than sorry.
Julie.
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Bellini
member
Reged: 12/03/2008
Posts: 141
Loc: New Forest
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Will get back to you in a sec - computer playing up
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JulieJ
member
Reged: 29/12/2008
Posts: 549
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This is a website run by the 'one in 330' parents who have children with childhood cancers.
http://www.acor.org/ped-onc/diseases/SOCC.html
Lymphomas
Lymphomas are malignant cell infiltrations of the lymphatic system. The lymph system includes the nodes with which many parents are familiar, located in the neck, armpit, and groin. These nodes are only part of the lymph system, as they are connected to each other and to the spleen, thymus, and parts of the tonsils, stomach, and small intestine. Once a malignancy begins in one part of the lymph system, it often spreads throughout the rest of the system before it is detected.
Lymphomas are broadly classified as Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's. The two are distinguished by cell type. They share similar symptoms such as painless swelling of the lymph nodes, fever and fatigue. Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas are more common with at least 15 different types. Hodgkin's generally occurs in individuals between 15-40 years of age, while non-Hodgkin's generally occurs in individuals between 30-70 years of age.
Today, Hodgkin's lymphoma is more curable than non-Hodgkin's. The cure rate varies according to the type of disease.
Signs and Symptoms
swollen lymph node, especially in the neck, armpit or groin
swelling of the face
weakness, tiredness
sweating, especially at night
unexplained fever
unexplained weight loss
abdominal pain or swelling
pain
breathing difficulties, occasional cough, sometimes difficulty in swallowing
In most cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a painless, firm swelling in the neck, the armpit, or the groin lymph nodes is present. Since extranodal sites are often involved, other less specific signs may occur. Gastrointestional tract involvement leads to abdominal pain, jaundice, diarrhea, gastrointestional bleeding, and constipation. If the spleen or liver are involved, they are enlarged. If the bone marrow is involved, neutropenia, fatigue, bleeding or bruising occurs.
What To Do
Take your child to the doctor, who will do a careful examination of your child and order the following tests:
complete blood count (CBC)
chest X-ray
At this point, many children will be found to have some other benign condition. In the majority of cases, the doctors take time to rule out a lot of other things, especially lung diseases and leukemia.
If initial tests confirm that your child may have a lymphoma, the doctor may refer you to a pediatric hematologist/oncologist, who may do a biopsy of any lumps or tumor to confirm what type of lymphoma it is. Also, a bone marrow aspiration may be ordered and CT scans, and possibly other tests as needed in your child's individual situation.
Lymphomas are usually treated by a combination of chemotherapy, radiation, and/or bone marrow transplants. The cure rate varies greatly depending on the type of lymphoma and the progression of the disease.
*******
All the best - Julie
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Bellini
member
Reged: 12/03/2008
Posts: 141
Loc: New Forest
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Thank you everyone. Husband is seeing his consultant tomorrow and is going to ask his advice. Lymphoma does seem to be very rare in very young children but I'm driving myself mad looking up possible causes on the internet. I'll get back to you. I agree totally with Julie about GPs - when my husband was first ill we had to wait months to get past the GP.
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JulieJ
member
Reged: 29/12/2008
Posts: 549
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That's very reassuring! Hopefully it isn't lymphona, but hoping alone won't help if it is lymphona!
I don't mean to be too crtical of GPs, but just because a dread disease is very rare, doesn't mean that no one gets it! And with cancer, especially in children, you really, REALLY don't want to hang about while the GP checks out all the other things it could be.....
I have to say, I think it would be a good idea for every GP practice to have at least one of the GPs there to be some kind of 'cancer expert' or, better still in a way, to have a close member of the family with cancer....
It's a difficult thing to say, but I now feel the world divides into two sorts of people - those who have 'cancer in the family' and those who don't. I used to be one of the latter, and to me cancer was utterly alien and utterly terrifying. I just never 'thought cancer' about my husband (who was very fit!) and it was the one thing I never worried about for him. It really can strike out of the blue, to anyone, so doctors do, do, do need to be on the look out for it.
I'm sure, in the case of this little kiddy, it will be good to get the feedback from your husband's onc, and use that to tell the kiddy's mum - and for her to tell her GP.
Julie.
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Bellini
member
Reged: 12/03/2008
Posts: 141
Loc: New Forest
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Thanks Julie. I'm with you on the divide - but it seems almost every day you hear about someone else you know who has got it. What on earth are we doing to ourselves. Is it food? Building materials? Something in the water??
Anyway - OH went round to our neighbour and said he was planning to have a chat to his consultant. She seemed very grateful. Her GP has diagnosed "Mesenteric Adenitis". I looked that up but it makes no mention of night sweats. I'll post back tomorrow and tell you what he said.
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JulieJ
member
Reged: 29/12/2008
Posts: 549
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I think there are several contributory factors - unhealthy lifestyle (as we know, cancer is assoicated with smoking, drinking and obesity and lack of exercise!)(but so are lots of other ailments of course), and pollution (all those chemicals everywhere), but I think it can also be appearing to be increasing simply because, to put it bluntly, we now, in the western world. are less likely to die of infectious diseases, so 'something' has to get us in the end, and cancer is therefore right up there with the 'remaining killers'.
So far as anyone could tell, my husband's cancer was simply a random mutation - no family history at all of cancer, he kept himself in ferocious good health (his father died of heart disease in his 60s!), and his only vice was drinking, which he always controlled, and always went on the wagon for three months every year (he never touched a DROP during those three months!), and which, deeply ironically, he'd actually given up completely, for nearly a year, before he was finally diagnosed (stage IV, terminal.....). I do think, in retrospect, that it was his underlying level of fitness that 'masked' the cancer for so long - he actually remained physically well (working out in the gym!) until three weeks before he died.
So, I have to say, he is a perfect example of someone very, very fit for his age (fifties), who still died of cancer. It really can strike anyone at any time - and when GP's blithely say 'oh, you're too young to have cancer!' all they are saying is 'it is particularly rare to have cancer at your age' - but grimly the mortality stats still show people dying of cancer in every age group. (Though the REAL rise in cancer mortality starts at 50 - if you look at the cancer mortality stats, the graph is very very flat until 40, starts to rise a bit then, and then, after 50, the graph is just vertical - it SHOOTS straight up.) Fifty really is the age when EVERYONE ought to be on 'cancer alert' - especially your GP!!!!!
All the very best with your husband's treatment, and I hope his consultant can give either reassuring feedback on the little girl, or, if necessary, the 'ammunition' for the mum to get further tests done.
Julie.
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blossom97
member
Reged: 02/02/2008
Posts: 4571
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I have only 'skim read' the replies but would agree that GPs do not always get it right.My mum was wrongly diagnosed by her GP, she actually had cancer and it was not spotted in time.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do.XX
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Bellini
member
Reged: 12/03/2008
Posts: 141
Loc: New Forest
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Quick update - my husband saw his consultant on Friday and discussed this little boy with him. His advice was that it was 95% likely to be masenteric adenitis, but that he would recommend an ultrasound and suggested that the mum insisted on seeing a paediatrician. We are seeing the mum later today and will tell her. Will let you know what happens.
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