Friend has a lump in his back - how bad is it likely to be?

[vworried]

He has been suffering back pain c. 9 months and has been to Drs a number of times, but today GP has discovered that there is a 6 in lump next to his spine.

GP doesn't seem in any hurry to refer him, so friend has arranged things privately through work insurance. 1st referral is to an Osteopath, rather than a cancer specialist, which has to be good news right? Appointment is a week on Fri.

I've told him that if GP was really concerned, he would have been at hospital tomorrow. Am I being over confident in our system?

sometimes a lump in the back can be the cartilage between the vertabrae that has slipped out causing a lump. can't remember exactly but I seem to remember in my training something that if it were cancer then the spinal cord is usually affected and if the GP moved the lump in his examination (which he would have done to see it is was free moving or static) then the chances are if it were a tumour that it would have hurt like crazy or sent shockwaves down his spine into his legs. but don't quote me on that exactly its a few years since I touched on this in class!!

just had a look at my folders and in a website I use a lot there are 430 examples of lumps on and near the spine and their causes and very few are linked to cancer.

Thanks misi - do all the lumps need operating on? That's his secondary worry, that an op close to his spine can't be a good thing. Apparently GP has said that if it keeps growing, it could interfere with spinal cord?

no, very few do, if its the cartilage the hope is the osteopath can manipulate it back in. if its the cartilage, it will only keep growing if it slips out more, but thats to think about after seeing the osteopath. if its a tumour either benign or cancerous then I believe there are drugs now that ''cut the supply of blood'' and starve it to submission.

Wow - thanks misi - this friend is particularly prone to not wanting to talk about his health, then telling you enough to get you worried and then exaggerating. Although he probably believes what he's told me I suspect it's not exactly as the GP put it. I could strangle him TBH will try and put his mind at rest. Thanks again.