“Non Diagnostic”

The anxiously awaited lab results from Mary Jo’s biopsy on her suspect lump under her right arm from last week are finally in. Mary Jo’s Nurse Trish, from the Women’s Imaging Center called yesterday and explained the written report results to us. She explained the report said the results from the tissue and fluid samples from the needle aspiration are “non diagnostic” unfortunately meaning we still do not know any more than we did last week. The tissue quality could not confirm or eliminate the presence of cancer but Dr Maurer, MJ’s surgeon and Dr Thiel, the radiologist who performed the procedure both still think that the suspect lump is not consistent with cancer because of its rapid onset among other factors. Mary Jo would just like the lump to be removed. She says it is less painful to the touch since the needle aspiration procedure but the size (bigger than a quarter, smaller than an egg) appears to be about the same.

Today Mary Jo and I had an initial consultation with her newest doctor, Dr Kim McCollow D.O. radiation oncologist from the Ridges Radiation Therapy Center in Burnsville. We met with Dr McCollow for about an hour as she outlined what we should expect as Mary Jo goes through this next phase of her cancer therapy. The big obstacle standing in the way prior to the start of the radiation therapy sessions is this unknown regarding the suspect lump. Mary Jo would like to get the lump removed. Dr McCollow advised us to follow up with Dr Maurer as soon as possible for a consultation regarding a surgery to remove the lump. She explained that Mary Jo is still well within the medical guidelines for starting radiation therapy eight weeks following the last chemotherapy session. If it is determined that surgery is the appropriate action to remove and accurately diagnosis the lump, it will be necessary to delay the first session of radiation for approximately 10 days following a surgery procedure to allow the wound time to heal.

We have scheduled to meet with Dr Maurer in his Burnsville office on Thursday morning to hear his recommendation. At this point, Mary Jo would simply like to have this lump removed surgically but we will wait to hear what Dr Maurer has to say before making the final decision.