Diagnosis

Dear Dr. Bone, I am a 64 year-old worriwort. When I went for my check-up the doctor told me that my white blood cells were a little low and he wanted to repeat them. They were 4.0 the first time, 3.9 the second time, and then 4.3 a third time. He wants to check again in four months. The only other things I notice is a few hot flashes and sweatiness along with some tiny, raise,d bright-red bumps on my abdomen that are not going away on their own. Should I be concerned that I have leukemia and that the doctors are not diagnosing it soon enough? I am a seasonal visitor to Florida and my anxiety is wrecking my trip. C.F. Jupiter

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Dear Dr. Bone, My children’s school principal just passed away from ovarian cancer. An email has been circulating around the mothers that she might have been diagnosed earlier if her doctor had ordered a CA 125 test. Another email says the test is not a good one and there is a new test called HE4 that is better. What do you think? MM PB County

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Dear Dr. Bone, My grandfather just died of lung cancer. He never smoked. The doctors told us that it was probably colon cancer. How can that be? B.F. Palm Beach

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Dear Dr. Bone, My mother was just diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She had been complaining about her stomach for months. The doctor tried antacids and did a colonoscopy but that didn’t relieve her symptoms. She finally went in for her annual gyn appointment and the doctor made the diagnosis. Why did it take so long? L.L Boca Raton

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Dear Dr. Bone, My husband was in the military for years. He retired and we were planning a 40th wedding anniversary trip. I noticed he was coughing. The ENT thought it was postnasal drip and he tried an antihistamine, but that didn’t work. Finally he had a chest xray and then a CAT scan. The diagnosis is mesothelioma. I am worried because I read that this is a really bad cancer. His doctors want to start treating right away with surgery and chemotherapy. I am desperate for your input. S.S Lake Worth

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I am a good patient who goes for annual mammograms, but I do not do breast self exam.I am afraid that I won’t know what I am feeling or that I will find something. I feel guilty about it but have heard various things about how important it is to do regularly. What do you think?

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I read about a new technique called CT Laser Mammography. I have very dense breasts on mammogram and always seem to need an extra view or a sonogram when I get my yearly exam. Would it be better for me to do this?

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Is it my imagination or is cancer getting more common? Every time I turn around someone else is getting cancer. I feel like it is an epidemic.

7

Many years ago I was diagnosed with a bad pap smear. I had a surgical cone biopsy. Everything seemed okay and then the abnormal pap came back. The gynecologist did another colposcopy and biopsy. After that I had another laser cone biopsy. Now my pap is abnormal again. My new gynecologist says that I have almost no cervix left and yet she wants to do another colposcopy and possibly another cone biopsy. Help?!

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Many years ago I was diagnosed with a bad pap smear. I had a surgical cone biopsy. Everything seemed okay and then the abnormal pap came back. The gynecologist did another colposcopy and biopsy. After that I had another laser cone biopsy. Now my pap is abnormal again. My new gynecologist says that I have almost no cervix left and yet she wants to do another colposcopy and possibly another cone biopsy. Help?!

7

My daughter, age 26, has a greenish discharge from her nipples for two months. She recently found a lump which is slightly painful. Her primary care physician ordered bloodwork, a mammogram, and a sonogram. I am thinking the worse and because I am a nurse, I know enough to worry more. What do you suggest?

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My father died of colon cancer at age 58. From everything I read, I should be getting regular colonoscopies. The problem is that I heard that the day before the procedure is brutal. One friend told me he had to drink a gallon of this stuff that made him gag and throw up. Is there any other option?

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My gynecologist wants me to have a pap smear. I had a partial hysterectomy 3 years ago and no longer have a cervix. Do I really need a Pap smear to screen for cervical cancer if I don’t have a cervix?

5

Thank you for the article last week about scanning. I was disappointed that you didn’t go into the differences between digital and regular mammograms and who should be getting which. My friends all tell me that digital is better and that I should switch doctors because mine only offers a regular mammogram. What do you suggest?

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