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How do you know when lymph nodes are enlarged?
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How do you know when lymph nodes are enlarged?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › How do you know when lymph nodes are enlarged?

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    • August 16, 2011 at 3:45 pm
    ccbreeding
    Participant

      I was diagnosed almost four years ago IIIA.  My original site was on my shin.  I had the LND and have been NED ever since…Praise God!  I was "friends" with Amy Busby and oh how I miss her!!..I remember her mm came back after being NED for 6 yrs and it first appeared in her various lymph nodes.  So this is one reason I am concerned.  

      I was diagnosed almost four years ago IIIA.  My original site was on my shin.  I had the LND and have been NED ever since…Praise God!  I was "friends" with Amy Busby and oh how I miss her!!..I remember her mm came back after being NED for 6 yrs and it first appeared in her various lymph nodes.  So this is one reason I am concerned.  

      I have one slightly enlarged node in my neck (assuming it's from allergies).  When I feel under my arms I feel several nodes…I can only feel them when I use the same hand as the arm vs reaching across my body.  This seems a bit weird.  They are not huge, probably the size of almonds??  My next check up is in Oct…cant decide if I should just wait or look into this sooner.

      Anyone have any experience with enlarged nodes?  What did they feel like?  Where else would I notice nodes?  Sorry this is so wordy:)

      Thanks for any insight!
      Courtney

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        • August 16, 2011 at 4:00 pm
        Janner
        Participant

          The typical scenario is "hard and not movable".  Not a hard and fast rule, but this is what you'd normally be looking for.  And since the groin nodes would be your most likely first location, compare one side against the other and look for differences.  The neck and armpit nodes would not be the first area that melanoma would most likely go to in your situation. 

          My Dad recently had melanoma in his armpit (from a back primary), and the node was significantly harder and larger than anything else in the area.  His was movable, however, and hopefully confined to that node only.  He's 86 and we decided to just "cherry pick" and remove that single node only.

          Best wishes,

          Janner

          p.s. I miss Amy too.

          • August 16, 2011 at 4:00 pm
          Janner
          Participant

            The typical scenario is "hard and not movable".  Not a hard and fast rule, but this is what you'd normally be looking for.  And since the groin nodes would be your most likely first location, compare one side against the other and look for differences.  The neck and armpit nodes would not be the first area that melanoma would most likely go to in your situation. 

            My Dad recently had melanoma in his armpit (from a back primary), and the node was significantly harder and larger than anything else in the area.  His was movable, however, and hopefully confined to that node only.  He's 86 and we decided to just "cherry pick" and remove that single node only.

            Best wishes,

            Janner

            p.s. I miss Amy too.

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