Yesterday I had a routine dental visit. In doing routine xray of the mouth the dentist discovered a 1 inch, abnormal shaped blackened area located within my jaw bone. He is not sure if this is a tumor or a cyst or what. He has referred me to see an oral surgeon. I am a bit anxious about this and was wondering is it possible that a synovial sarcoma on the foot could metastize to my jaw bone. I'm just not real sure about letting just anyone, oral surgeon or not perform a biopsy on a suspicious area of my bone. Do you guys think this is something I need to inform my oncologist about first? I just dont want to do anything hasty. Not real familiar with the procedures I should or should not do considering the history of sarcoma. Initial diagnosis was June 1, 2010 with complete removal of tumor on foot with no mets diagnosed. In my routine 3 month oncology visits all I do is a ct of the chest, the last of which was in December, not mets found.
Personally I have never heard of mets to the jaw bone from synovial sarcoma. On the other end, synovial sarcoma can start in the jaw area so there are oral surgeons out there familiar with sarcoma. May be you could ask your oncologist to refer you to one?
I went to the oral surgeon and he did an xray of the jaw bone. He saw no abnormalities so praise God nothing to worry about. Havina sarcoma has turned me into a hyperchondriac and I suppose in a way it has made my dentist and family care physician act a little bit more cautious too. My oncologist said it would be very unlikely that a sarcoma would metastize from the foot to the jaw bone, which is what I thought. Lol!
I am so happy that you are doing well. I have a quick question if you wouldn't mind answering... I too have a bump on the top of my left foot (approx 3.1 x 2 cm). I read that you had a wide resection and radiation. I was curious how big yout bump was and if the radiation caused major problems for you foot function. My doctor says he doesn't like to radiate hands and feet because it causes too much damage.
Mine was just under 4 cm. My doctor also told me they didn't like to radiate hand and feet. But they did it anyway before tumor removal. Everything has went well for me. I do hurt if I am standing steel too long or if I am on my feet for a long time. I also have pain in my arm from where they took the graph, but really over all I am doing much better than I thought.
I am so happy for you that you are doing so well. I am scheduled for surgery on the 22nd. They have some new thing called Integra A-Cell that they are going to use instead of a flap (if it takes). Ever heard of it? This is all so unreal. Why radiation before surgery? Was it to shrink the tumor? Did it shrink much? Mine is involving my tendon and is very close if not on my bone so they have to remove skin, muscle, tendon and a little bone. How is your walking? Can you walk well? I hope you don't mind all the questions. You are the first person that I have been able to speak with that has had a tumor under 5cm on the foot that has had a wider resection. What was your doctor's thought on chemo? Mine things that I should probably do it after surgery. However, I am reluctant about putting all of those chemicals into my body but want to do all I can for my best chance at survival.
No I have not heard of Integra A-Cell. The radiation was to shrink and kill the tumor and it did shrink a good bit. I lost 3 ligaments it was the ones that make your toes bend. I can bend my toes down but not up. The tumor also had involved an artery. The Dr. told me the reason they took it from my arm was because they needed an artery from it. I guess in your arm you have more than one. No bone was involved. I walk pretty well. As a matter of fact today I planted 5 dogwood trees so I am doing so well I can operate a shovel. I just cant bend my toes. On some days if I am on my feet too much I do still have swelling. As far as Chemo my Dr. told me they only do chemo for tumors 5 cm and larger or if it has mestasized. I have to have a cat scan of chest done every 3 months for 2 years, then every 6 months for "I think" 2 years then I will go to once a year up to 10 years. So far so good. I dont mind the questions at all. I think physically this has not been that bad so far, mentally it has been tough. Cancer has turned me into a hyperchondriac. LOL! The worst part for me was not being on my feet for so long, (4 months) which meant I couldnt go to work. But now I just thank God that I have a foot and that I am alive.
Hi Mary! Thank you so much for sharing so freely with me. I had my surgery - a wide resection on 2/22. Because the tumor was wrapped around my EDL tendon, I lost it. They also had to shave the bone. I have the Integra that I told you about in and it has been helping new tissue growth. However, no growth over my bone yet and the doctor does not want to do skin graft over bone. The doctor is scheduling me to put another layer of Integra in. I just found out that it is Shark cartilage... Wow! Anyhow, the great news is that my pathology report just came back and they are now unable to classify my foot mass. They are no longer calling it a sarcoma. Best news I've heard in months. Doc says it was still cancer in the early stages and I still need to be followed just as if sarcoma since it is unclassifiable. No chemo or radiation and no evidence of spreading. Thanks be to God!! Now I just have to get this foot back together... I am encourage to hear that you are walking and planting trees.... Thanks again.
Best luck to you. I am glad your surgery went well. Keep me updated. Maybe it wont be much longer before your foot is back together.