“We found a mass near the base of Sophie’s brain,” Dr. Shah said.
I waited for someone to correct her.
No one did.
“What kind of mass?” Daniel asked.
“We believe it may be a germ cell tumor located near the area that controls hormone production, thirst, and several aspects of development.”
Eric gripped the windowsill.
“Are you saying she has cancer?”
“We need additional imaging and tumor-marker studies before we can determine the exact type.”
I looked at Sophie. She was watching all of us, trying to decide how frightened she should be.
“Is that what caused the headaches?” I asked.
“Most likely. It is also pressing near the pathways involved in peripheral vision.”
Sophie touched the side of her head.
“But what does that have to do with the pregnancy test?”
Dr. Shah pulled her chair closer.
“A pregnancy test does not actually look for a baby. It looks for a hormone called hCG.”
