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Baker’s Cyst?
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Baker’s Cyst?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Baker’s Cyst?

  • Post
    • February 8, 2021 at 12:06 pm
    TimCT
    Participant
      Hey All,

      Last night I noticed a large lump behind my right knee.  After the initial freak out, I did some internet sleuthing and see that it may very well be a Baker’s cyst – something that develops if arthritis exists in the knee, and too much fluid is produced. It collects into a cyst. Has anyone experienced this?  Arthralgia is something I’ve dealt with since nearly day 1 with my treatment (ipi/nivo, then just nivo, now Braftovi/Mektovi + nivo) so it certainly is perfectly believable that my knee is now subject to the ravages of arthritis.  Of course it could be totally unrelated to melanoma/treatment and entirely related to the fact that I’m now 40.

      I have an appointment on Thursday for treatment and to go over my latest scans, so I’ll certainly bring it up.  Just curious if anyone else has had something like this literally pop up.  Thanks guys!

      Tim

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    • Replies
        • February 8, 2021 at 1:16 pm
        MelWave
        Participant
          Hi Tim,

           

          Is the lesion soft? I think it is then more likely to be a cyst rather than a metastasis (they are usually hard from what I have read).

           

          It would also be somewhat uncommon to find a metastasis on a limb, unless your primary was nearby (downstream the lymph flow ikwim). This is the reason why pet/ct usually do not include the lower limbs.

           

          Good luck with your appointment!

          • February 8, 2021 at 1:55 pm
          TimCT
          Participant
            Hey Mel,

            It is soft-ish, it doesn’t really feel like the other areas of disease I can feel in my neck.  Behind the knee would be a very strange spot indeed for a met to show up, so I was able to talk myself off the ledge a little bit last night. All signs point to this not being a met and being just another side effect (feels like I could write a book on not quite serious but super annoying side effects) so let’s hope that’s all it is!

            Tim

            • February 8, 2021 at 9:30 pm
            Mark_DC
            Participant
              Hi Tim,

              I have a long-standing cyst on my right arm, far away from my melanoma lower left leg. It feels firm to me but you can kind of move it around so its not cancer. I had this long beofre my melanoma.

              Once i went in for an MRI and the technician wondered whether I wanted that scanned. He worried me but my doctor says its a cyst!

              Over the summer i fell off my bike, hurt myself in a few places, elbow inflamed – it would not go away so i was worried too like you. What if it was some nightmare met that I read about on this board??? I had to go to my primary doctor, he didnt want to see me (covid times) but he wanted me to send a photo, which i did, and he thought it was olecranon bursitis (?),  a collection of fluid, and that it would eventually go down (slowly it did).

              I hope this might reassure you too

              good luck Mark

              • February 12, 2021 at 4:09 pm
              Chipster
              Participant
                A Baker’s cyst is easily seen by Ultrasound.  Get one done and you will no longer worry.  Baker’s cyst is the most likely diagnosis and melanoma would be extremely, extremely unlikely.  I would bet my house on it.

                 

                • February 16, 2021 at 10:42 am
                TimCT
                Participant
                  Thanks guys!  I brought it up at my visit last week, and after he poked and prodded it for a few minutes, he said it definitely didn’t feel like melanoma, much more cyst like.  He sent me for an xray after my infusion, I think to rule out anything egregiously out of the normal.  He was leaning towards just leaving it alone for now. I’ll let you guys know if it turns into anything!
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