Cancer Diagnosis

How is cancer diagnosed?

Diagnosis is based on the victim’s tests, disease type, staging, and symptoms.

In my case, it was a specialist, reading test results who diagnosed my case. He still needed a biopsy to confirm the type (which was yet to be completed), but he was the first doctor to put words with my suspicions.

Up till that point, my medical staff was reluctant to tell me anything. Most lowered their heads and left the room when I tried to get specifics out of them.

What Tests Are Used To Diagnose Cancer?

By mid-January 2007, I had practically every medical test conceivable with no doctor brave enough to put it all together for me.

To the best of my recall, I had the following exams: x-ray, blood test, CAT-scan, physical exam, monogram, tissue samples taken from the breast and chest, a biopsy on my neck, and PET-scan.

The swelling on my neck was so bad I could hardly turn my head. The knot kept getting larger and harder. My sleep became very interrupted, because it was difficult to find a comfortable position that allowed good deep sleep.

I felt as if my airway was becoming clogged, which really concerned me. I even slept in the recliner several nights out of concern about getting enough air.

I was thinking and dreading the worst. "Would this be a cancer diagnosis?"

Again, let me remind you of my

Disclaimer page because these were just thoughts I was having.

Using ENT Specialist

My primary doctor had referred me to many specialists, and finally, he suggested I go to an Ear-Nose-Throat (ENT) specialist. I had no idea what an ENT doctor could do for me, but at this point, I figured, “Why not?”

To my amazement, the ENT doctor was the one who finally put it all together for me. With Jim there with me, the ENT doctor patiently listened to my story and symptoms. I had told my story so many times by now, it was getting routine. He gave me a quick exam of my neck, and told me he needed to order several medical tests.

As he named each test, one by one, I recognized I had had each of these medical tests preformed already, and so informed the doctor. He went through a list of at least 3 or 4. Each time, he asked when it was preformed, and I told him. At the end of his list of exams, he informed me that the reports should be on the computer, and then he excused himself to go to the computer and retrieve the results.

He returned in about 5 minutes with a handful of pages he had retrieved from the printer. He suggested Jim should have a seat, because Jim was standing. At first Jim stayed standing, but decided to take a seat when the news started coming.

Using Plain Language:

We looked at each other and then looked back at him and said in unison, “plain talk.”

We weren’t prepared for what followed!

We both felt like we were about to get struck by lightening because the hair was standing up on the back of my neck!

His words were spoken kind of low and soft as he went over each of the reports. I heard his words, but they didn’t take meaning at first.

I had Lymphoma! This was my Cancer Reality!

Cancer Of The Lymph Nodes

He said we wouldn’t know the type until he did a biopsy. Jim clarified by asking, “What you are saying is Peggy Sue has cancer in her Lymph Nodes, is that correct?!” My ENT doctor confirmed, “Yes, that is correct.” See my page: What is Cancer?

Those words have a great impact when they finally sink-in. It took my breath away. I found myself thinking of others I knew and had known in the past who had some form of this disease.

I thought of those few who made it and the vast majority that didn’t. The ENT doctor scheduled me for a biopsy so the type could be determined. Jim and I left his office stunned.

Cancer Diagnosis Reaction

I recall we went out to our vehicle, and Jim just sat there holding his chest. I didn’t know if I needed to take him back into the building to Urgent Care or what. He told me he just needed to sit there for a while. We talked very little during the next half hour until Jim’s chest pain let up so that we felt safe enough for him to drive us home. It was a sober moment for both of us.

It was performed outpatient and only took a few hours. We then waited for the results. We didn’t speak much for the next few days.

We already knew what the seriousness of the situation was. We just tried to be supportive of each other with the reality of everything hanging in our every thoughts.

The phone call came that the results were in, and an appointment was made to learn the results. Our emotions were as high as could be.

We showed little-to-nothing to each other as we waited for the test results to confirm I did have Lymphoma, and what type, so a proper treatment could be formulated by the oncology department of our local clinic. It was another sober moment waiting in the doctor’s office.

Follicular Non-Hodgkin' Lymphoma

My ENT doctor was just as nice as he was at earlier visits, but also straight forward because we had given him permission not to “sugar-coat” his talk with us. The answer was: Type B Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. He also said it was “follicular.” He said the only good news he could give me out of the report was that my type of cancer was a slow growing type.

That sounded like, "The glass is half full theory."

Those were my thoughts only; I certainly didn’t say that to the ENT doctor.

I was then told he would refer me to oncology in the same building. He did, and a few days later I saw my oncologist, Dr. H, for my initial visit.

Dr. H took a lot of notes at my first visit. He examined me with finger touch by kneading back and forth like my mother used to knead bread. Of course the kneading was painful, but pain was something I was growing accustomed to.

Scheduling Chemotherapy

Dr. H informed me he would order a PET-scan so he could see all the locations of the cancer. He also scheduled me for chemotherapy there at his oncology clinic. He explained that because the lymph system is throughout the body chemotherapy would be used instead of radiation therapy.

Of all the Cancer Treatments, this one would affect my whole body and could potentially poison my whole body.

He gave me names of the drugs he would be using; they were all foreign and unknown to me. Chemotherapy drug names are not usually dinner table conversation, are they?

PET Scan

The PET-scan was uncomfortable, but is an ordeal Cancer Patients go through to determine how much cancer is there and where it is located. I recall a tingling effect, similar to how a foot feels when it has gone to sleep and now is being moved to wake it up. That’s how it felt as the technician injected a solution into me.

I asked the technician what he just injected because I had a tingling effect in many parts of my body, especially my neck where it was swollen. He said it was a sugar solution. When I asked why sugar, he replied that sugar feeds any type of melanoma.

He said “Yes, that is why we use the sugar solution to light up where the cancer is located in your body.”

And that is exactly the results I received. When the PET-scan came back, it was like a negative of my body.

Where the lit parts were located is where the cancer was concentrated. It was lit-up like a Christmas tree.

I had lymphoma all over!

It was in my left neck collar bone area, in my left chest, under my left arm, in my abdomen mostly on the left side, and in the groin area on both sides.

I recall they counted about 22 places. I now knew why Dr. H said the treatment would be chemotherapy for this cancer diagnosis.

While in the office of Dr. H, Jim had been mostly quiet, letting me ask most of the questions. My questions were straight forward, and Dr. H was giving me direct answers. I really felt for Jim when I asked Dr. H in what stage he would place me; meaning, exactly how bad is it?

Dr. H replied he would guess that I was in at least stage 3 as a minimum, and perhaps even stage 4. (I found later he did not record his oral opinion in my records.) I asked what stage 3 or 4 meant as far as time. He replied it would depend on how I reacted to the chemotherapy. I pressed him further for a time.

Dr. H said it could be as short as three months, and maybe as long as three to five years; but again, it would depend on how well I would tolerate the chemotherapy. “Tolerate the chemotherapy,” I thought, “Don’t you mean how well I will tolerate the poisoning?”

When I let up some on Dr. H, I took a quick glance at my poor husband who had to sit there through my inquisition. Jim wasn’t doing very well. He was quite pale, and I thought he was going to need some help himself. I decided it best to not inquire further of Dr. H that day because Jim appeared to be having chest pains again.

I was concerned about Jim because almost all of the males in Jim’s family have passed away in their mid-fifties of heart attacks. Jim was age 60 when this conversation took place in the office of Dr. H. Still, I thought I better take it a little easier on him.

I had suspected for the past few months that something was terribly wrong.

All the symptoms were adding up. Now I knew.

Now I had a diagnosis and a time-frame. It felt as if I was watching earth from a distance and my time counting down.

The unknown was now known.

Here is a short version of my miracle.

When I was diagnosed in January 2007, my doctor gave me as short as 3-months to live and rated my cancer somewhere between stage 3 or 4.

Without checking any alternatives, I started chemotherapy at my health care provider’s oncology department.

I was scheduled for 6-rounds of chemotherapy; each round was a double-bag administered about two-weeks apart.

During my second infusion, I experienced a deathly reaction to the chemicals and almost died in the treatment chair.

That near-death experience was the catalyst that sent me in search of Alternative Cancer Treatments.

After weeks of searching, I found a wonderful clinic in Mexico which was recommended in one of Kevin Trudeau’s books about Natural Cures. I devoured the website information and read all the survivor’s testimonials.

My husband and I discussed and prayed about the possibilities of me going to the clinic, after-all we're talking about Mexico. But, the website testimonials covered the safety issue when the patients all said they were perfectly safe, at all times.

It was a big decision to go; it shouldn’t have been, but it was. I had butterflies like I have never had them before. Then together, my husband and I made the decision for me to go to the clinic.

The treatments were for two-weeks; now, they do three-weeks for less money than I paid for my two-weeks. I regained my energy and smile back almost instantly after the treatments began. At the end of my two-weeks I felt perfectly healthy and completely rid of cancer.

After returning home, I made an appointment with oncology. He ordered another PET-scan because he couldn’t detect any cancer remaining when he physically examined me. I held my breath for about a week until the results came back…Cancer-Free!!

I have full faith that you can become the next cancer survivor by going to this special healing clinic.

I also urge you to receive a FREE CONFIDENTIAL MEDICAL EVALUATION by telephone, to discover if you are a good candidate for Alternative Cancer Treatments.

Receive the clinic name by going to my Cancer Survivor page and use the “Clinic Name Request Form” You’ll be so happy you did!!

Thank you for stopping by my "Cancer Diagnosis" page.

I wish you and your family the best of health and happiness,

Peggy Sue Roberts

Riverside, California

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