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[TripleDegree]

Please treat this as just expressing an opinion, but here's the situation. A very close relative of mine, 60 years old, has had all the following symptoms over the last year or two:

- knee pain in the mornings
- elbow pains

Just about 4-5 months ago, he developed a pain in the hip area, close to the groin and "deep down". This pain resolves with analgesics.

After a lot of cajoling we forced him to go in for an x-ray, a radiologist hasn't seen it yet, but the internist said that it looked like a lytic lesion.

Given his history, and knowing nothing else about the case, should I be worried about a malginancy? Or do RA cases also manifest the same way?


thanks in advance

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[Dr_Touny]

Although I wouldnt recommend that you soley listen to me (Im still a student), I think RA DOES manifest that way. I did a presentation on this my 2nd year of Medical School, and from what I recall, I think it may be RA. One thing I remember, is that you need to have 4 of the following 7 symptoms to be diagnosed:

1) Morning Stiffness
2) Symetrical Arthritis
3)Arthritis of the Hand Joints
4) + Rheumatoid Factor
5) Radiographic Changes
6) Arthritis in 3 or More Joints
7) Rheumatoid Nodules (usally found around the elbow or other pressure baring areas)

I would suggest you check Rheumatoid Factor, although you need to be careful because I think something like 40% of RA pateints never develope the Rheumatoid Factor. A decent percentage of RA pateints also have ANA, so you can also check for that. But like I said, keep in mind that negative results on these two tests DOES NOT rule out RA. I hope I helped a little. Good Luck, and I wish the two of you the best.