What are the odds that I have cancer, based on my symptoms?

Question

On June 3rd I noticed a small bump under my skin on the left side of my neck, immediately I worried but because nothing seemed to be wrong with me. In the last week I've developed asthma like symptoms or just some awareness of not being easily able to take in a deep breath all the time. I'm not sick, haven;t been having fevers or anything but when i go to the doctor tomorrow, I don't want to takea blood test and get back results with horribel news.

Just today I was able to workout as usual, run 5 miles and lift weights. I'm a healthy 17yr old guy and am just worried.

Answer 1

Maybe it's just a lymph node. You could have some bacteria and the macrophages are bunched up there trying to destroy it. Macrophages are great. Or, it could be a valve, or a ganglionic cyst. Most likely, harmless. The body has a way of taking care of you, especially at 17. Keep an eye on it and if it gets bigger, see a doc.

Answer 2

The lump is probably either a big zit under the skin, or some kind of benign cyst. The symptoms probably came about from all the worrying you did about the lump. Other things it could be: a swollen gland; a cramped muscle. Lifting weights often causes pulls, tears, etc. in odd places resulting in strange lumps, bumps, etc. But judging from the psychosomatic symptoms your brain has manifested, why not go to your Doctor and ask instead of wringing your hands with worry and anxiety; only leading to more psychosomatic symptoms!

Answer 3

Is important to understand what cancer is to not only realize that most cancers can be cured or healed. Cancer is the inability of your cells to stop reproducing after a traumatic experience in a particular part of your body unallowing the decayed cells to naturally be expelled trough your blood creating lumps or scared tissue bags. That is where kimo comes into play and for the most part help regain the ability of your cells to control the growth of cells. In my opinion the use of Oxigen increases the rate of growth of cancer as it increases the chemicals that help cells grow. Anyways if you see that there is an optimistic side if you ever encounter such misfortune it wont feel as the world will come to an end. Rather look at it as a natural process and what ever hapens hapens because it must. Don't ever give up of feel sorry for your self there are millions of things that happen to us on a daily basis in our body that we don't even know and we manage to survive them. Always smile and if misfortune comes your way deal your own cards and overcome the misfortune. Take care and Hope is nothing major.

Answer 4

Andrew, without a full patient history and medical examination by a qualified health professional, there is no way anyone can tell you this... not your friends, not your family and certainly not strangers on the internet!

If you want suggestion for a name for your dog, ask us.

Don't risk your health, see your professional, get the tests, get the results.

There is no point in worrying needlessly about something that may not happen.

If you are concerned about cancer, I would suggest that in addition to regular medical check-ups, you eat and drink in a healthy well-balanced way, reduce the GM modified foods and chemicals you take in and to exercise each week (sounds like you do :)

If you smoke cigarettes or other substances, or take any form of illeagal drugs you could stop taking them. If you use caffeine of guarana, you could reduce or ellimiate your usage.

One of the most agressive forms of cancer in males, is a teratoma, it usually occurs in males aged 17-30. You can check yourself for teratomas, and seek early medical advice, just like you have for this lump on your neck.

Teratomas are agressive malignant tumors of the testicles. If you check your testicles (i.e. daily in the shower) they should be smooth and even. Any changes, increase in size, rough or unevenness should be reported to a health care professional immeadiately.

Good luck with the bump, and try not to worry... worry will give you health problems, and has been shown to cure nothing!

Answer 5

I would get to a doctor. It's most likely something very common like a sebaceous cyst or a lymph node-related illness (all are common and treatable). The odds of you getting cancer at 17 are next to nil.

You need to get into a habit of going to the doctor when you find something wrong. It took me until my 30s to realise that if something doesn't seem right just get to a doctor or it can get worse. In your case, you'll find whatever it is to be something basic and it will certainly resolve any concerns you have.

Answer 6

The chance is better than 80% you have cancer...people usaully do not beat the odds of this horrible decay of cell & tissue...you are 17?...STOP WORKING OUT...your wasting your time..take the next few days that you have left to live and get laid or steal something you always wanted...find some kind of pleasure..and do it quickly!!...eventually you will not wake up one morning and there is sadly nothing you can do to stop it...quit fighting it..accept it....the end is so near...bye my friend.

Answer 7

well cancer is something should not be taken lightly, but on ur neck you have a load of lymph nodes(aka white blood cell makers) sounds as if one is poss infected, I would get it checked, only because if there is an infection, it can spread like wildfire, but don't be a fatalist, get help now, so that a good anti-biotic can cure the poss aligment now

Answer 8

It could just be a swollen lymph node, but you definitely have to have this looked at by MD and you will have tests run- blood, x-rays and possibly a biopsy to be sure. Good Luck.

Answer 9

hopefully nothing is wrong with you maybe they will just find out you are sick and not have cancer. i sure hope you don't. that is a horrible horrible thing. i hope everything turns out okay. i think you will be though. good luck and let me know.

Answer 10

Some of these people are totally WRONG!

Definitions of cancer on the Web:

any malignant growth or tumor caused by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division; it may spread to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system or the blood stream

Cancer is a class of diseases characterized by uncontrolled cell division and the ability of these cells to invade other tissues, either by direct growth into adjacent tissue (invasion) or by migration of cells to distant sites (metastasis). This unregulated growth is caused by a series of acquired or inherited mutations to DNA within cells, damaging genetic information that define the cell functions and removing normal control of cell division. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer

A general term for about 100 diseases characterized by uncontrolled, abnormal growth of cells. The resulting mass, or tumor, can invade and destroy surrounding normal tissues. Cancer cells from the tumor can spread through the blood or lymph (the clear fluid that bathes body cells) to start new cancers in other parts of the body (metastases).
www.cancerlinksusa.com/cancer/young/glossary.htm

diseases in which abnormal cells divide and grow unchecked. Cancer can spread from its original site to other parts of the body and can also be fatal if not treated adequately.
www.biotechnology.vic.gov.au/info/glossary.asp

A disease characterized by the rapid and uncontrolled growth of aberrant cells into malignant tumors.
www.nsc.org/ehc/glossary.htm

A general name for more than 100 diseases in which abnormal ceils grow out pf control; a malignant tumor.
www.sharedexperience.org/Glossary.lasso

The general term for an illness characterized by abnormal growth of cells that form malignant tumors. Cancer can develop in any organ of the body.
www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/DG/00022.html

abnormal cells that divide without control, which can invade nearby tissues or spread through the bloodstream and lymphatic system to other parts of the body.
www.montefiore.org/healthlibrary/adult/environ/content.asp

Cancer is a disease which results from the development of a malignant tumour and its spread into surrounding tissues. See tumour.
www.bio.hw.ac.uk/edintox/glossall.htm

Diseases characterized by uncontrolled growth of cells that tend to invade surrounding tissue and spread to distant body sites.
www.stjude.org/leukemia/0,2530,422_2049_4332,00.html

An umbrella term for more than 100 life-threatening diseases characterized by the uncontrolled, abnormal growth of malignant cells. These harmful cells may spread locally or through either the bloodstream or lymphatic system. One of the comorbidities associated with morbid obesity.
www.lapbandforlife.com/glossary.htm

A malignant tumor of potentially unlimited growth that expands locally by invasion and systemically by metastasis.
dels.nas.edu/potassium_iodide/glossary.html

(can·cer) (kan¢s[schwa]r) [L. “crab, malignant tumor”] a neoplastic disease the natural course of which is fatal. Cancer cells, unlike benign tumor cells, exhibit the properties of invasion and metastasis and are highly anaplastic. Cancer includes the two broad categories of carcinoma and sarcoma, but in normal usage it is often used synonymously with carcinoma.
www.mercksource.com/pp/us/cns/cns_hl_dorlands.jspzQzpgzEzzSzppdocszSzuszSzcommonzSzdorlandszSzdorlandzSzdmd_c_05zPzhtm

A mass of cells that are multiplying out of control. Also called a tumor.
www.sarcoidlife.org/glossary.htm

A general term for more than 100 diseases that have uncontrolled, abnormal growth of cells that can invade and destroy healthy tissues.
www.tacomaradiation.com/Glossary.html

A group of diseases in which malignant cells grow out of control and spread to other parts of the body.
www.glendalememorial.com/CancerCenter/ct-3.html

a general term for a large group of diseases, all characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells.
www.asbestoshelpcenter.org/AsbestosLungCancer.html

Measures of cancer incidence, morbidity, survival, and mortality for persons with cancer. It also includes the assessment of genetic predisposition, environmental and behavioral risk factors, screening practices, and the quality of care from prevention through palliation.
www.nci.nih.gov/statistics/glossary

Disease arising from mutant cells that escape normal controls on cell division and invade and colonize the tissues of the body.
www.cytokinetics.com/cyto/glossary

a term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control.
ccnt.hsc.usc.edu/glossary/

unregulated growth of changed cells; a group of changed, growing cells (tumor).
www.nrdc.org/reference/glossary/c.asp

The abnormal and uncontrolled division of cells which may go on to invade and destroy surrounding tissues. (See malignant).
www.wgcu.org/deadlytomen/glossary.html

Cancer refers to a abnormal growths which have a tendency to grow uncontrolled and metastasize. It can involve any tissue of the body and can have many different forms in each body area.
arabinfo.org/montogomery/Terms.htm

A clonal growth (cells all descended from one ancestral cell) that undergo continuing mitotic divisions and are not inhibited in their growth when they come in contact with neighboring cells (contact inhibition). Thus, cancers obliterate the normal architecture of the host tissue. Cancer cells often spread (or metastasize) throughout the body by way of the blood stream or lymphatic vessels to form tumors in new locations beyond the primary site of origin. ...
images.antiagingconference.com/files/1103/aagateway/glossaryofterms.asp

is a malignant growth that can affect any part of the body. Treatment can be time-consuming, painful, and sometimes result in permanent disability.
www.asu.edu/lib/ada/geninfo/definitions/

Uncontrolled growth of the cells of a tissue or an organ in a multicellular organism. cf oncogenesis.
www.fao.org/docrep/003/X3910E/X3910E06.htm

In my own opinion the best action for you is to see the doctor, get the tests done, and then IF you have any disease or illness manage it in a positive and healthy light!