abdominal lump - Cancer Message Board

windchase168 · 08-27-2002, 04:36 PM

My mom is 76 years old. Lately during a regular examination her doctor found an abdominal lump just right next to her belly button. Her doctor has immediately arranged for an ultra sound for her. But the doctor also mentioned that an ultrasound will only tell the size of the lump and the location. It will not be able to tell if it's cancerous or not. He said the only way to tell if it is cancerous or not is to take the lump out and perform a biopsy on it.

Well my mom is 76 years old and she has just gone through a major surgery last year. I definitely don't want her to go through another one if it's not necessary. Is it true that there is really no way to tell other than a surgery to take the lump out? If an ultra sound is not going to be able to tell, what about MRI, X-ray or other advanced medical technology?

Jay Tor · 08-28-2002, 08:17 AM

Ask your mother's doctor whether a needle biopsy can be performed. This is a somewhat less intrusive procedure.

The doctor may recommend against a needle biopsy and urge immediate surgery if:

a) there is concern that this mass is a very fast-growing and invasive cancer; or,

b) the new mass [neoplasm] is benign but its size and location is interfering with/risking other organs.