Lump on Knee

If you are concerned - GET ANOTHER OPINION!!! I found a lump onmy collarbone last year - 7 weeks postpartum. The first doctor wasn't "excited" about it, so I went to another doctor who ordered a biopsy just to rule out anything bad. 4 weeks later, the day before my son's 2nd birthday, I was diagnosed with cancer (Hodgkins). No one really thought it was going to be a malignancy. Be thorough, but don't get crazy. Stay off the internet, it will consume you. Just be thorough. Doctors don't want to be wrong, and if it is something serious, they want someone else to catch it. I still go to the first doctor who missed it. I knew my body - it wasn't his fault.

Hi M. ~

I agree with Angie that if you call it a bump it is less stress inducing.

I understand how frightened you must be. My son suddenly developed a bump on his collarbone when he was about 8 year old. He had not had any kind of trauma. It was just spontaneous. We were terrified when his pediatrician sent us to an oncologist to have it checked out. All the oncologist told us was that it wasn't cancer, and that sometimes children develop bony bumps while they're growing. The condition resolved itself in about a month. My son is now 32 years old with a son of his own.

I respectfully disagree with Dana that "...if it is serious, they (doctors) want someone else to catch it." Sorry, but that is preposterous. My father was a physician, and he (and all of his doc buddies) put the patient's care above all else, whether it meant a difficult diagnosis or not. That said, a second opinion never hurts. Doctors are human, and symptoms and tests can often be interpreted differently by different medical professionals.

Your son probably has a baker's cyst. My dad had one on both of his knees. He had then drained once or twice. They aren't cancer or life treatening. My father did not have to have them removed and they are likely to grow back if removed. When my father had his knee replaced when he was 72 they removed one then. It nothing to worry about unless is affects movement of the joint.

You need to relax and stop worring so much. Anytime someone in the medical field says Cancer we see our selfs or loved ones going through hell to get better from it.
I have had many cyst around my knees and all they did was stick a needle in it and pulled the fluid out.They are caused from falls and injuries to the area.Most times they resolve them selfs but not always and can become painful, that is when my Dr. inserts a needle and pulls the fluid out. I have never had a second one in the exact area as any other.
Using the Big "C" word is a scare tactic in my opinion and Dr/s use it too loosely.

Hi M....I have 3 boys, ages 5-17..and they are joys! i don't have and answer for you, just giving you support. Don't freak out, all moms can uderstand the need to, but don't worry yourself unless you need to..your little boy can pick up yer stress signs. The fall could have had something to do with it..get the MRI and see where that goes. But i would make sure you get your answers.Even if its just a cyst, wut can you do for it? when will it go away?things like that..still find out. and lastly..say a prayer and keep faith.

Hi there! When I was 15 I got a ganglion cyst on my wrist from falling off my horse. I'm not a doctor by any means and of course a complete stranger to you, but it sounds exactly like a cyst to me. The "soft tissue swelling or maybe some fluid" is an exact description of a ganglion cyst and the bump only appeared when I bent my wrist. It was actually kind of fun to show people. The soft tissue may never go away; however the fluid will drain from it eventually making the bump disappear. Mine was restricting my movement so it was taken out. Although it was a minor procedure it was done by an oncologist at Riley. That made the whole situation sound WAY bigger than it needed too. The oncologist did it because they are use to removing tissue from joints. It was done at Riley because he rotates hospitals and that's where he was that particular day. I honestly wouldn't worry about it if your doctor and an oncologist ruled out cancer. They wouldn’t let anything happen to your little guy. It really does sound like a cyst to me.

M., I think the best thing to do is just get further testing and have the MRI done, that way it can calm your nerves.....I had a lump on my chest by my shoulder and freaked out also, but had further testing and it was non-cancerous, so there can be alot of lumps that really are not cancer!

Trust your doctor and trust God. If he says it is not cancer, then believe him. Get the MRI to find out exactly what it is. Then, you can relax.
We all freak out when it's our own child. That's what a mom does. Everyone else is worried; they just don't want to show that to you.
God bless you.

My son had a hard fall on cement once while riding his bike. He got a huge lump on his knee. They said it was a cyst, and they used a needle to drain it. (Numbed it first, thank God!) He is fine now with no lingering effects. But at the time, the fluid came back a little, then it resolved on it's own. I hope that is all that is wrong with your son!

When my son was 8 he came home from a weekend at his dad's and when he got out of the bathtub that Sunday night he showed me a lump under his arm; armpit area, that was the size of a golf ball. I freaked out. I knew it was his lymph node that was swollen because he told me that he hadn't injured himself. The next day I took him into the doctors and the nurse practioner saw him. I am good at reading faces and what I saw on hers scared the day lights out of me but I knew I had to keep my cool so my son didn't freak out and get scared. She told me that she needed to have the doctor come in and take a look. The look on his face was even worse. He said that they needed to do blood work and have my son tested for Lykemia and Lyphmphoma. Both are blood cancers. I didn't use the "C" word until I knew for sure. But I told him that they thought that his blood might be sick and they needed to test it. That there is nothing for him to worry about until the doctor or mom says it is time to worry. But let me tell you; I had friends in 4 differant states praying for him. I was told that the lab results should be back by 10 a.m. the next morning. I called at 10, they weren't in. I called at 11, they weren't in. I called at noon and the nurse said that they weren't back yet and that she would call me as soon as they got the results. It was close to 1 when I got the phone call saying everything was fine, that he just had an every day infection that had gotten into his blood stream and that is why he did not have any other typical symptoms. I took 3 weeks on two differant antibiotics before it cleared up. But for that evening and the next morning until I got that phone call; was the LONGEST I think I have ever had to wait. And I was scared to death. Another time my daughter around the same age had a lump near her collar bone. I took her to the doctor and they sent us to the hospital cancer center. Again, horrible waiting time. This time was before my sons scare but it was differant; although I don't know how. But this time my daughter knew they were testing her for cancer and she asked me what would happen if she did. I explained the treatments and the only thing she was worried about was not the pain but that she could lose her hair. I told her that if she started to lose her hair then mom would shave her head so we could still look the same. But luckily she only had a stubborn infection. But I know what you are going through. Try not to worry until the doctors say the word "Cancer" and your sons name in the same sentence as the word positive. Go through the testing and think only good thoughts. I am not sure how old your son is but if he is like my youngest; age 11, he can read me like a book. Remain calm and he will too. I know that you are going to worry because you are a mom and it sounds like a good one. I will pray for your son and family. Good luck.

Most of us parents have been through things like this. I know it is very hard. You have been advised by a specialist it is not cancer. You need to give it up in prayer if you believe in a Creator. Have it taped if the specialists tell you it needs to be drained. Have it removed if it is a cyst and be calm.
I know it sounds impossible but look at the bright side and put your fears to rest.

Hi M.! While I have not been through what you're going through, I have one little "trick" that may help you.

When people say "lump," it's often associated with cancer. Stop refering to it as his "lump," but rather his "bump." Maybe just a simple play with words will do the trick for you & you can work on getting cancer off the brain.

Good luck M. & I'm sure you little guy will be just fine.