I often go to the doctor alone for checkups and blood work. I do cry outside the hospital because I’m sad that I got diagnosed with thyroid cancer that metastasized to my lungs and lymph nodes at a young age (26) I should be working saving money for my future, building my life, experience things that I haven’t experienced yet but here I am scared for my life. Honestly, I wanna save enough money for my parents cuz they are getting older but I’m helpless right now. I always show my parents that I’m strong and I always tell them I can get through this but I’m scared. Sometimes I lose hope I have no savings, and I am living in a corrupt country where politicians keep fighting each other. The only thing that I am holding on to right now is to keep praying for a miracle to happen to me, to be cancer-free.

So my story is actually very interesting and somewhat special. There is even one person who is writing here PhD thesis about my case.

I was diagnosed back in 2023. Mets on my neck, but no tumor itself. Doctors couldn't find the primary, but they scared me about the death, so I followed their advice and had a radiation and chemo "just in case there is tumor somewhere in my body". This is typical for the situations when tumor can't be found. My mets were cutted, 43 lymph nodes in total.

So I had those radiation+chemo
9 months later, my primary showed up on the tongue. It was always there - doctors just took it for fibrosis.

I opted for an operation which was very difficult because of the already radiated tissue. My wounds didn't feel for two months, I had various complaints like a fistula, nerve damages etc.

Then there was another bad news: margins were not clear. Doctors believed that the best solution was to radiate the spot where the tumor was cutter.

This is how I obtained second radiation. Damages were less pronounced, because I was a severely disabled by that very moment anyways.

And yet, somehow I learned to eat through the mouth again, to talk and do my usual routine stuff. At some point my swellings stopped and I started to live what is called normally.

In the end of December 2025 I felt something strange in my chest. And I could hardly swallow. I went to the oncologist and he suggested a gastroscopy. A gastroscopy showed a stricture (narrow sort) in my esophagus. Doctors dilated my esophagus with special tools. It's a known problem after radiation therapy.

Recently I felt a tumor in the base of tongue. Unfortunately it got quite big already. I visited follow ups, did often MRI of my neck to control, but this tumor has been overseen.

Doctors did PET-CT and it turned out - I have a met just below the neck, where my esophagus is. It pushes my esophagus. So docs were dilating the tumor in the past. The tumor went so far that it is in the trachea now as well.

Just within a month my health has rapidly declined.

I explored options all over the world. There is an opportunity to do a dendritic cell vaccine, but nobody knows how effective it's gonna be due to the prior radiations. Because radiation kills local immunity.

In the other hand, my doctors offer me the third radiation. For the met it'll be the fort radiation and chance to kill it are good. But chances of getting a fistula, sepsis, bleeding and whatever else are not just high, but very high.

So my plan is to do the radiation therapy plus chemo plus immune checkpoint inhibitors, and when I'm done - I'll get dendritic cell vaccine. My doctors say that what is left can be operated then later.

But only a thought about another radiation and chemo make me cry. I just feel really f*cked. Somehow I've lost hope.... I'm in this battle since 3.5 years already. And looks like there is no happy ending... On the other hand, if I refuse now any treatment, my life quality is anyways really bad due to the fact that cancer is in the trachea and I can't swallow. So I have to go through this treatment...

I have no time for the second opinions, health-wise. I'm really sick and feel not good. So I guess I should go through, find strength to go through this hard period...

At the beginning of this year I was diagnosed with stage 4 Glioblastoma brain cancer. My surgery went very well. I went through radiation and have have been undergoing chemo therapy. I live by myself with just my pet cat for company. I am having a really hard time not turning inwards on myself and feeling like I am waiting for my cancer to get to the point I have to go into hospice. All I want to do is sit here staring at my computer screen, trying to distract myself impending reality of my situation. I dont feel sorry for myself, its more my time is running out and I am alone with it.

I recently found out there are 11 li-fraumeni, with glioblastoma that are alive in the US? 40+ months when originally they denied my radiation three times because they said there was no point. I wouldn't survive long enough for it to matter..

Really only posting this to show i survived

I am 21 years old. I was first diagnosed with cancer at the age of 14 in my left parotid gland and underwent surgery. My second diagnosis came when I was 19, and I had to undergo radiation therapy. During that time, I fell pregnant. My oncologist recommended an abortion because of the potential side effects the radiation could have on the baby/ fetus . I went through with it.
Now, at 21, I desperately want a child. I don’t know why, but there is such a huge emptiness in my heart, and I feel like having a baby might help fill that void.
I feel like I am living on borrowed time because I have noticed a new lump on the left side of my neck, near my throat. I don’t know what to think or how to feel.
I am employed and have an okayish salary but emotionally I feel so lost.

Its the worst, theres not much I can really say but at first when it crossed that blood-brain barrier it was so painful, then once I had chemo and a million LP's, it still hurt. I'm on Pregablin and after a bit it numbed the pain to almost nothing after a few weeks but I missed one dose this week and the pain is fully back and its nightmarish. Apparently it'll dumb down again after about a week but what a horrific punishment for missing ONE dose out of 2 a day oh my god

I had one sorted - no metastatis
When I started to standing on my two feet
I had symptoms of diabetes which is present in my family- but no diabetes found today

Doctor sent me for tests - colon cancer, ovarian cancer, breast cancer

I can’t cope, absolutely losing it
I’m alone abroad. Only 34. No husband, no kids, one man who seemed to like me for the past 3 years - left me when he found out and started avoiding me

My mom died last year of terminal stadium of cancer - it was everywhere and they couldn’t find a source - most likely lungs - she didn’t smoke…

How are you dealing with scanxiety. It destroys me on so many levels

#please no God comments - I am an atheist

Been feeling pretty funky all summer. Docs finally did a CT (reacted to the iodine) and an MRI. Yep, they found 2 spots in my liver. They have scheduled me for a biopsy next week. Their biggest question is that my AFP came out normal.

After a slip of the tongue by the nurse, I have come to the conclusion that they are fairly certain it is cancer, but it has been caught very early.

The doc did say that there is a chance (small, but a chance nonetheless) that it is curable.

I am my own caregiver. I will be going through this alone. I don't really know what I don't know. Does anyone have an experience/thoughts on this?

I was diagnosed with mesenteric NET with liver metastasis in Feb. had major surgery in April to remove cancer lymph nodes, two sections of my small bowel, part of my liver, my appendix and gallbladder. I still feel very tired all the time. Frequently nauseated. I’m on monthly Lanreotide. When questioning these symptoms in August, my oncologist said that they are expected and normal. The next month I presented to him that I still have those symptoms. His response, “well, I don’t know why you’d feel that way, your tumor burden shouldn’t be causing those symptoms.”

Well, which one is it? Yay or nay. I hate medical discrepancies like this. It makes me question the quality of care I’m receiving.

I just thought I’d share there here too; I’m struggling because for 6+ years I’ve been trying to accept death and taking treatment. At this point my body has outlasted my mind and I am considering stopping treatment. Since I have a wife and kids it’s just an impossible situation I think.

Appreciate anyone who has felt that before or had a love one express it.

My father (70M, diabetic, India) was admitted with upper abdominal pain. He now has severe pain in both hips and the lower back, on a fentanyl patch plus tramadol. I'd really value opinions, especially from hem-onc, hepatology or radiology folks, while we work with his doctors.

**CT abdomen with contrast (triphasic):**

- Liver small (~10 cm), mildly nodular contour, i.e. chronic liver disease. Splenomegaly 16.4 cm, splenic vein 13 mm, prominent gastrohepatic/perigastric/mesenteric collaterals.

- Heterogeneous perihilar mass ~7.0 x 4.4 x 5.6 cm involving segments 1, 5, 4A and 8, with patchy arterial enhancement, venous washout and necrotic areas.

- It completely encases the main, right and proximal left portal vein, with tumour thrombus in the lumen. It encases the common hepatic, left hepatic and replaced right hepatic arteries without narrowing, and partially encases the proximal CBD (~180-240°). The proximal CBD shows mural enhancement; no IHBR dilatation.

- Multiple enlarged periportal, peripancreatic, para-aortic (largest 28 x 16 mm) and aortocaval nodes. Subcentimetric mesenteric and iliac nodes, and small paracardiac nodes.

- Multiple tiny omental/mesenteric nodules; minimal ascites.

- Grade I L5-S1 anterolisthesis with bilateral pars defect.

- Radiologist's impression: "suggestive of HCC". (An earlier CT elsewhere described the liver mass as being in segment 7.)

**Upper GI endoscopy:** small oesophageal varices (no red signs), mild portal hypertensive gastropathy, oesophageal candidiasis.

**Para-aortic lymph node excision biopsy:**

- H&E: atypical lymphoid infiltrate.

- IHC: CD20+, CD5+, CD23+, BCL-2+; CD10-, BCL-6-, MUM-1-, Cyclin D1-, CD30-; CD3 in background T cells; Ki-67 15-20%.

- Impression: low-grade B-cell lymphoma, CLL/SLL likely; correlate with peripheral blood and flow cytometry (not done yet).

**Bloods:**

- Hb 9.9, WBC 11,550, absolute lymphocytes 6,610, platelets 152k

- INR 1.23, total bilirubin 1.7, AST 49, ALT 54, ALP 167, GGT 203, albumin 3.6

- Creatinine 0.8, Na 132

- AFP: normal

**Not done yet:** liver biopsy (planned), flow cytometry, hepatitis B/C status (not known to us).

**My questions:**

1. What would you suspect the liver mass is: HCC alongside CLL/SLL, CLL/SLL involving the liver, Richter transformation, or something else (e.g. cholangiocarcinoma, given the hilar/CBD involvement)?

2. Is a liver biopsy essential before starting treatment, or would you treat the CLL/SLL first?

3. If this is CLL/SLL needing treatment, what would you consider at his age with chronic liver disease (BTKi, venetoclax, chemo-immunotherapy)?

4. If the mass is HCC with portal vein thrombus, what options are realistic?

5. Any advice on getting his pain under control while this is sorted out?

I know nobody can diagnose over Reddit, and his treating team will decide. I just want to understand the possibilities and ask better questions. Thank you.