# What are the chances of getting cancer from a pilonidal cyst after having it for abou



## freakingout (Feb 6, 2010)

What are the chances of getting cancer from a pilonidal cyst after having it for about 2.5 years? 

Also which type of doctor should take a look at it?


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## Lonely Hobbit (Aug 31, 2009)

Is it 2.5 years or 4 years?

http://www.anxietyzone.com/index.php?topic=29726.0
http://ehealthforum.com/health/what...cancer-from-a-pilonidal-cyst-aft-t246853.html
http://ehealthforum.com/health/what...cancer-from-a-pilonidal-cyst-aft-t246856.html
What are the chances of getting of cancer from a pilonidal cyst that you've had for 4 years.?
What are the chances of getting of cancer from a pilonidal cyst that you've had for 4 years.?
What are the chances of getting of cancer from a pilonidal cyst that you've had for 4 years.?
What are the chances of getting of cancer from a pilonidal cyst that you've had for 4 years.?
What are the chances of getting of cancer from a pilonidal cyst that you've had for 4 years.?


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## freakingout (Feb 6, 2010)

Socially Anxious said:


> Is it 2.5 years or 4 years?
> 
> http://www.anxietyzone.com/index.php?topic=29726.0
> http://ehealthforum.com/health/what...cancer-from-a-pilonidal-cyst-aft-t246853.html
> ...


2.5, I thought it was about 3.5 year so I rounded up then I took a look through my old post on some forums.


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## freakingout (Feb 6, 2010)

hmm that weird, this artical doesn't mention anything about this cyst being cancerous.
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Cysts_explained


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## freakingout (Feb 6, 2010)

So yeah I had this cyst for about 2.5 years.
It doesn't hurt, and it leaks sometimes.
The skin above where the cyst is a normal color.
It looks about it's about .5'' - .75'' wide and about 1'' - 1.5'' long.


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## VagueResemblance (Apr 17, 2010)

(sigh) welcome back, freakingout.

You don't have HIV and you don't have cancer and you probably don't even HAVE a pilonidal cyst. Those things are very painful, usually, and you really can't get away from getting them emptied or surgically excised.

(edit) what happened to your HIV fears? this is a serious question. use the same arguments and the same thinking toward your nonexistent cancer.


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## Lonely Hobbit (Aug 31, 2009)

freakingout said:


> So yeah I had this cyst for about 2.5 years.
> It doesn't hurt, and it leaks sometimes.
> The skin above where the cyst is a normal color.
> It looks about it's about .5'' - .75'' wide and about 1'' - 1.5'' long.


You already got some answers from Yahoo:

http://answers.yahoo.com/my/profile;_ylt=AkMC0yYWoJhYTdmhtn7UlLriQgx.;_ylv=3?show=8JfHEHEaaa


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## Monroee (Aug 26, 2009)

I don't think pilonidal cysts can become cancerous... At all. I've had one. It was a small hole. I had it surgically removed and stitched up. There was no mention of cancer if I decided to keep it without surgery, just possible infection. But is this really helpful? freakingout has a tendency to not believe responses.


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## freakingout (Feb 6, 2010)

Actually, this probably gonna one of my shorter fear. It should only be go on till I see a doc that knows about these things... Assuming he can tell it's not cancer...

Though knowing if this info is true might help, but the relatively rare scares me.
Also knowing the 50 out of X would probably help me out too.

"Malignant change is a *relatively* rare complication of pilonidal disease[8], but evidence of at least 50 such cases is available in published medical literature. The most common scenario is of squamous cell carcinoma arising after decades of antecedent pilonidal disease. Its pathophysiology is uncertain, but the ongoing processes of tissue damage and repair in the presence of chronic inflammation may be implicated[9]. Malignancy arising in a chronic wound seems to have a worse prognosis than cutaneous malignancies arising de novo on the skin, hence early detection is imperative[9]. Although malignancy is a rare complication, it is a significant risk to young men and a more sinister reason why, besides discomfort and inconvenience, pilonidal disease should be taken seriously and sufferers encouraged to seek medical help. "

http://www.worldwidewounds.com/2003/december/Miller/Pilonidal-Sinus.html


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## freakingout (Feb 6, 2010)

Does it sound like this guy knows what he's talking about?
"Sarjeet S. G
I have worked as a RN (hospital based) for more than twenty years. I have never seen a pilonidal cyst which is cancerous or had turned. You can get it surgically excised and your problem will be gone for ever. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to settle the infection but it is likely to return when the antibiotics are out of your system.
Good luck.
Source(s):
RN"
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/i...jA1x05zsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20100827151042AAJBOnp


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## VagueResemblance (Apr 17, 2010)

Homersxchild said:


> freakingout has a tendency to not believe responses.


Likes ignoring people, too. Damned rude...!


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## freakingout (Feb 6, 2010)

Give me a break, I'm just freaking out about this okay.


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## VagueResemblance (Apr 17, 2010)

Oh! Hi! you ARE reading replies! I couldn't tell.

Then.

This is the same thing as your HIV freakout from a while ago. You still haven't died from HIV? good! You were wrong about having that! You are wrong about this one because it is an identical product of your OCD.

Instead of endlessly demanding reassurance which you will ignore (you just threw out the opinion of an RN with twenty years of hospital experience under their belt, you realize that, right?) why don't you use the same approach you used to beat your HIV fears, against this one?


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## freakingout (Feb 6, 2010)

VagueResemblance said:


> Oh! Hi! you ARE reading replies! I couldn't tell.
> 
> Then.
> 
> ...


Actually, I thought I beat the hiv fear, but it's still there. Though it isn't anywhere near as bad as it used to be.


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## VagueResemblance (Apr 17, 2010)

freakingout said:


> Actually, I thought I beat the hiv fear, but it's still there. Though it isn't anywhere near as bad as it used to be.


Since you're no longer asking about HIV, it's been sharply reduced.. why can't you do the same thing with this one?

It's every bit as irrational.


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## freakingout (Feb 6, 2010)

VagueResemblance said:


> Since you're no longer asking about HIV, it's been sharply reduced.. why can't you do the same thing with this one?
> 
> It's every bit as irrational.


Probably because when I get a new fear it starts off really bad, then after a little while the fear slowly starts going down.


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## freakingout (Feb 6, 2010)

Not sure if the normal risk factors Squamous cell carcinoma have anything to do with getting it this way but...

*Chronic sun exposure.* A lifetime spent in the sun: *Nope, I don't even go tanning.*
*Fair skin.* If you have very light skin or freckle or sunburn easily:* I think I burn easilly.*
*Your age.* The average age at which this condition is diagnosed is 66. However, squamous cell carcinoma is occurring with increasing frequency in younger people. : *I'm only 22.*
*Your sex.* Men are far more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma: *I'm a male.*
*A personal history of skin cancer.* If you've had squamous cell carcinoma once: *I've never had it or any other types of skin cancer.*
*Weakened immune system.* People with weakened immune systems are at greater risk of many diseases, including skin cancer. : *Nope, nothing*
*Rare genetic disorder.* People with xeroderma pigmentosum: *I don't think I've have it.*
*Smoking.* Smoking increases your risk of squamous cell carcinoma: *I've never smoked.*
*Skin inflammation or injury.* You have a slightly higher chance of developing squamous cell carcinoma if you have a large scar, skin infection or an inflammatory skin disease, such as psoriasis. : *Only if this cyst and pimples count as skin inflammation.*


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## deeds14 (Jul 9, 2009)

Listen to VagueResemblance. He is actually doing some of what a therapist would do with you: reality testing. You can learn from your past experiences and responses to lessen your anxiety with your newest phobia. I know it's not fun, but it can help you to focus on your anxiety and be real about it instead of distracting yourself (because that's all you're doing) with your latest fear.


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## VagueResemblance (Apr 17, 2010)

freakingout said:


> Probably because when I get a new fear it starts off really bad, then after a little while the fear slowly starts going down.


You recognize the pattern. This is very good, encouraging!

You should be able to USE this realization for your good instead of just blindly going along with it as you have been. The fear and paranoia will reduce over time, so hold on in the meantime, let it pass. Remember it is an irrational fear. An obsession. Not true.


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## freakingout (Feb 6, 2010)

VagueResemblance said:


> You recognize the pattern. This is very good, encouraging!
> 
> You should be able to USE this realization for your good instead of just blindly going along with it as you have been. The fear and paranoia will reduce over time, so hold on in the meantime, let it pass. Remember it is an irrational fear. An obsession. Not true.


When I said slowly, I meant that it takes months to pass.


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## VagueResemblance (Apr 17, 2010)

freakingout said:


> When I said slowly, I meant that it takes months to pass.


But it WILL pass and you know it from experience. You can use this knowledge for encouragement, for constant reassurance, and constant denial of these obsessive worries.

Until it passes you may benefit from keeping in mind that thoughts are only thoughts. You are free to act on them and endlessly chase after reassurance, or you can do something to actually combat what you KNOW is the real problem. 
You could fight back by reassuring yourself, like you did here. 
You could attempt to stop the entire process, telling yourself such fear is good and alright but your subconscious is overdoing it, stop already.
You could persuade yourself it's all false, a crap sandwich of hypochondria and OCD.
You could distract yourself until you can't think these worries anymore, by immersing completely in something that will take your total concentration, art, prayer, martial arts exercise, something.

Constantly keeping on guard and fighting down your obsessive thoughts sounds worse than it is, really, by far. Awkward at first but eventually the resistance will become subconscious and automatic, requiring little awareness and little effort. One example where this worked for ME is stopping a depression feature of replaying in my head, in loving detail, the memories of the worst things done to me and done by me. After a while of feeling dumb and awkward trying to make them stop, they were sharply reduced, then eliminated altogether, and I no longer suffer from such episodes.

Good luck man, I need some sleep.


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## freakingout (Feb 6, 2010)

VagueResemblance said:


> But it WILL pass and you know it from experience. You can use this knowledge for encouragement, for constant reassurance, and constant denial of these obsessive worries.
> 
> Until it passes you may benefit from keeping in mind that thoughts are only thoughts. You are free to act on them and endlessly chase after reassurance, or you can do something to actually combat what you KNOW is the real problem.
> You could fight back by reassuring yourself, like you did here.
> ...


Yeah, though I will be busy untill monday. So hopefully, it'll get my mind off of it atleast untill I can make an appointment for this thing.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

freakingout said:


> Not sure if the normal risk factors Squamous cell carcinoma have anything to do with getting it this way but...
> 
> *Chronic sun exposure.* A lifetime spent in the sun: *Nope, I don't even go tanning.*
> *Fair skin.* If you have very light skin or freckle or sunburn easily:* I think I burn easilly.*
> ...


If you had to do something like this, you went too far. This is like looking for commonality to say "yeah, I have it. Great" - when in reality, you don't. Online diagnoses like these are becoming too common and all it does is fuel the hypochondriasis. This "test" went too far.


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## freakingout (Feb 6, 2010)

millenniumman75 said:


> If you had to do something like this, you went too far. This is like looking for commonality to say "yeah, I have it. Great" - when in reality, you don't. Online diagnoses like these are becoming too common and all it does is fuel the hypochondriasis. This "test" went too far.


Actually doing something is a trademark for me, you just never seen it because when I was worried about HIV there really aren't any risk factors other than the obvous ones.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

Still, this is a scary thought that is distracting you from facing your real fears. The hypochondriasis is a defense mechanism. Deep down, you know you are fine.


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## freakingout (Feb 6, 2010)

So yeah a dermatologist will be checking out the cyst in a few days. Though I still am worried about it.


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