J4son said:
Well this is a little more literal than WebMD.
Ahar! I've used WebMD before, and as a database for differential diagnostic features it
can work. A friend of mine actually suggested that it made doctors obsolete but I've quickly concluded that it is not so- because examination and interpretation by an experienced clinician is still an unsubstitutable key to providing specific advice and care. This thread too is about the transfer of knowledge...so while there's definitely answers to questions on WebMD that are also very useful, I'm trying to specifically tailor this to the people who ask them, as opposed to giving template answers.
Corrections have been worked into the following quote:
But anyway, a good friend of mine has lymph node cancer in his neck and it has metastasized. He is going through radiation and is on a strict Iodine diet. His treatments are currently underway as I type. In one month he will have to go back to Duke Hospital (NC) for radiation and a follow-up.
Any advice? And once lymph node cancer has metastasised how fatal is it?(he has kids)
First, sorry to hear your friend has cancer of the lymph nodes. Cancer is always a tricky thing to approach because of its history and general implications, so I can appreciate how worrying it can be. If you just want the advice, you can skip down to the last paragraph.
There are many different types of lymphoma, but fortunately, across the board, treatments have improved vastly over the past few decades and so across the board, even the most severe stage (where it has metastasized to other tissues) carries fairly good odds of survival (based on 5-year measures).
For specifics, there are a number of indications on how likely the cancer is to respond to treatment and stay away. Assuming your friend has non-Hodkins' Lymphoma, doctors compiled the following prognostic list, which I've simplified:
1) Is he over 60?
2) Has the cancer spread around both sides of the neck or to other lymph nodes? (I assume the answer here is yes.)
3) Have blood tests revealed raised levels of
lactase dehydrogenase?
4) Is he confined to bed or unable to take care of himself independently?
5) Has it metastasized to other tissues outside the lymphatic system? (Again, I assume yes).
If two or less of the above are true, then there's a good chance that it will go away and stay away. If it's four or all five, however, things may not be looking so good.
Nonetheless there are merely statistics and guidelines, and are certainly not indicative of anybody's fate. I'm assuming that the strict iodine diet is to help out with some kind of thyroid disturbance? Either way, it appears (there's even clinical evidence now) that being positive is a big booster in terms of survival and, more importantly, enjoying life. I mean, all of us should appreciate every moment that we experience, and whether or not one has cancer it's a good lesson to take to heart. Living healthily with a mind to boosting the immune system is also a good idea, although one should check that this wouldn't conflict with the dietary restrictions.
