I had back surgery in Dec, 2006, followed by a staph infection which required another surgery in Mar. 2007. I had IV treatments after that for 6 weeks to cure the staph, but I felt recurrences several times more through the later part of last year. I just thought it was more of the staph that didn't get cured. When I'd raise up in bed, I'd feel lower abdomen discomfort, but put it down to residuals from those surgeries. This discomfort increased near the end of 2007 and in Feb. I saw my first blood. Then in late March this year the blood came on with a vengeance and I had the tumor removed right away. The Doc also said I had a blood ball maybe 3 in. in diameter, which he also removed.
So how long can these things grow undetected? In MY mind I had that thing for at least a year that I can feel, but who knows how much longer? Mine was diagnosed as being "very aggressive", but I still wonder how it could take that long to grow if it is indeed that aggressive. Or maybe the rate of development accelerated as it grew?