› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Swollen Lymph Node?
- This topic has 27 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 5 months ago by
Momrn5.
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- November 8, 2014 at 5:36 pm
Hello all,
There is no better place I can think of to be talked off a ledge than right here. 🙂 I had my WLE / SLNB on July 10th (I'm 4 months out) and I had one micro positive lymph node in my groin. I have been advised to leave my nodes intact and to watch carefully, which I am fine with…although it's difficult to manage worry and stress.
Saw my surgeon here in Chicago on Thursday. As he was checking my groin lymph nodes he said "Hmm…this could be a lymph node, or it could be water collected following your surgery. Your September scan was clear, and you're seeing your medical oncologist in December…let's keep an eye on it."
In that moment, I felt fine with his decision to "keep an eye on it", but of course now I'm freaking out.
Questions:
1. Since I had a scan in September and it was clear, but I definitely have a swelling in my groin now, what would be the next step to investigate a possibly swollen node? Needle biopsy? Ultrasound? How does this work?
2. Any thoughts on how a lay person such as myself might differentiate between a "problem" node and a "just fine" swelling? I have some very mild aching in my lower abdomen, nothing I would normally notice outside of the fact I have melanoma. I guess it could definitely still be surgical recovery.
3. Appointment with med. onc. is on Dec. 2. If the node is still swollen, what should I be asking for?
Thank you very much.
Best,
Elaine
- Replies
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- November 8, 2014 at 11:13 pm
Hi Elaine,
"Keeping an eye in it" sounds reasonable. But I can understand why you're freaking out.
A similar incident happened to me. After a CT scan I had an anomaly show up in my armpit from where I'd had all my lymph nodes removed. About all my oncologist could tell me was that he wasn't 100% convinced it was scar tissue. What happened next was he had me scheduled for fine needle biopsy with ultrasound. The onc didn't seem worried, but like you, I was freaking out. The procedure was scheduled 3 weeks after that visit. It was a rough three weeks.
On the day of the procedure, I had a doctor, nurse, and a student observer present. I go to Johns Hopkins, so having a student present is not unusual. They started the procedure with an ultrasound to locate the anomaly. There was quite a bit of tension in the room. Suddenly the nurse calls the doctor over to the ultrasound screen to show him something. They were all talking about fluid movement. Then the doctor came over to tell me there's no need to go in there with a needle because the anomaly was the result of something that was like an aneurism where there was some fluid collected at the end of a lymph or blood vessel — nothing to worry about because it was part of the healing process from my surgery. You could feel the tension in the room lift immediately. They had another piece of good news for me: there were no more lymph nodes left in my armpit because the surgeon got them all.
This procedure took place 5-6 months out from the surgery I'd had to remove my lymph nodes.
You had a clean scan in September so that's a very good thing to keep in the back of your mind. I'd think a problem node would keep swelling whereas a reactive node would shrink back down to size.
Try to hang in there. If you find yourself freaking out to the point where you can't function, I'd schedule another appointment with the surgeon to discuss your concerns with him.
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- November 8, 2014 at 11:13 pm
Hi Elaine,
"Keeping an eye in it" sounds reasonable. But I can understand why you're freaking out.
A similar incident happened to me. After a CT scan I had an anomaly show up in my armpit from where I'd had all my lymph nodes removed. About all my oncologist could tell me was that he wasn't 100% convinced it was scar tissue. What happened next was he had me scheduled for fine needle biopsy with ultrasound. The onc didn't seem worried, but like you, I was freaking out. The procedure was scheduled 3 weeks after that visit. It was a rough three weeks.
On the day of the procedure, I had a doctor, nurse, and a student observer present. I go to Johns Hopkins, so having a student present is not unusual. They started the procedure with an ultrasound to locate the anomaly. There was quite a bit of tension in the room. Suddenly the nurse calls the doctor over to the ultrasound screen to show him something. They were all talking about fluid movement. Then the doctor came over to tell me there's no need to go in there with a needle because the anomaly was the result of something that was like an aneurism where there was some fluid collected at the end of a lymph or blood vessel — nothing to worry about because it was part of the healing process from my surgery. You could feel the tension in the room lift immediately. They had another piece of good news for me: there were no more lymph nodes left in my armpit because the surgeon got them all.
This procedure took place 5-6 months out from the surgery I'd had to remove my lymph nodes.
You had a clean scan in September so that's a very good thing to keep in the back of your mind. I'd think a problem node would keep swelling whereas a reactive node would shrink back down to size.
Try to hang in there. If you find yourself freaking out to the point where you can't function, I'd schedule another appointment with the surgeon to discuss your concerns with him.
-
- November 8, 2014 at 11:13 pm
Hi Elaine,
"Keeping an eye in it" sounds reasonable. But I can understand why you're freaking out.
A similar incident happened to me. After a CT scan I had an anomaly show up in my armpit from where I'd had all my lymph nodes removed. About all my oncologist could tell me was that he wasn't 100% convinced it was scar tissue. What happened next was he had me scheduled for fine needle biopsy with ultrasound. The onc didn't seem worried, but like you, I was freaking out. The procedure was scheduled 3 weeks after that visit. It was a rough three weeks.
On the day of the procedure, I had a doctor, nurse, and a student observer present. I go to Johns Hopkins, so having a student present is not unusual. They started the procedure with an ultrasound to locate the anomaly. There was quite a bit of tension in the room. Suddenly the nurse calls the doctor over to the ultrasound screen to show him something. They were all talking about fluid movement. Then the doctor came over to tell me there's no need to go in there with a needle because the anomaly was the result of something that was like an aneurism where there was some fluid collected at the end of a lymph or blood vessel — nothing to worry about because it was part of the healing process from my surgery. You could feel the tension in the room lift immediately. They had another piece of good news for me: there were no more lymph nodes left in my armpit because the surgeon got them all.
This procedure took place 5-6 months out from the surgery I'd had to remove my lymph nodes.
You had a clean scan in September so that's a very good thing to keep in the back of your mind. I'd think a problem node would keep swelling whereas a reactive node would shrink back down to size.
Try to hang in there. If you find yourself freaking out to the point where you can't function, I'd schedule another appointment with the surgeon to discuss your concerns with him.
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- November 9, 2014 at 4:11 am
Thank you, Linny and Teodora. 🙂
Linny, when I'm sane, I believe my story is going to turn out just like yours. It'll be some kind of fluid accumulation from surgery, no big deal. When I'm not sane, well…you know how that goes!
I had one node removed for the SLNB in July. There was an extremely small amount of melanoma in that node, and in fact, the lab isn't positive it's melanoma. Surgery was 7/10, I'm being treated in Chicago, but my node is currently in the lab at Memorial Sloan Kettering, as the pathologists are trying to figure it all out.
My onc in Chicago and the onc at Memorial Sloan-Kettering both advised me against the CLND as they feel it is unlikely that the melanoma passed into the lymph basin. They explained that they can't know for sure, but to both of them, the CLND seems like overkill as nodes are very useful in fighting infections and melanoma. Plus, lymphedema, possibly unnecessary surgery, etc.
i guess I'll have to wait it out until 12/2, but it won't be easy.
Thanks,
Elaine
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- November 9, 2014 at 4:45 am
Seromas, cysts, reactions to stitches and scar tissue can all be reasons for swelling. You could also have a reactive node that swells as a result of infection/trauma, but never returns to normal size. Just don't jump to conclusions because there are lots of benign causes out there!
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- November 10, 2014 at 1:47 am
Hi Squash,
That is exactly what the oncologist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering said. He said CLND would extend recurrence free time, not OS, and that there are benefits to keeping the nodes for fighting melanoma and infection for someone my age (45).
Stressful, but I feel like I'm in good hands with a top melanoma specialist.
Teodora, I understand that sometimes it feels like you just CANT stay ahead of this disease. It's definitely a struggle to stay calm!
Thanks,
Elaine
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- November 10, 2014 at 3:12 am
It is interesting that a lot of doctors and specialists seem to ignore the research when it comes to melanoma.
I think this is because people feel like they should be doing something when sometimes doing nothing is the better option.
Also it should be noted that people with mico melanoma in a sentinel node have the same survival as those who are negative for disease.
And to further complicate matters people who have negative SNB sometimes go on to dstant spread as well.
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- November 10, 2014 at 3:12 am
It is interesting that a lot of doctors and specialists seem to ignore the research when it comes to melanoma.
I think this is because people feel like they should be doing something when sometimes doing nothing is the better option.
Also it should be noted that people with mico melanoma in a sentinel node have the same survival as those who are negative for disease.
And to further complicate matters people who have negative SNB sometimes go on to dstant spread as well.
-
- November 10, 2014 at 3:12 am
It is interesting that a lot of doctors and specialists seem to ignore the research when it comes to melanoma.
I think this is because people feel like they should be doing something when sometimes doing nothing is the better option.
Also it should be noted that people with mico melanoma in a sentinel node have the same survival as those who are negative for disease.
And to further complicate matters people who have negative SNB sometimes go on to dstant spread as well.
-
- November 10, 2014 at 1:47 am
Hi Squash,
That is exactly what the oncologist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering said. He said CLND would extend recurrence free time, not OS, and that there are benefits to keeping the nodes for fighting melanoma and infection for someone my age (45).
Stressful, but I feel like I'm in good hands with a top melanoma specialist.
Teodora, I understand that sometimes it feels like you just CANT stay ahead of this disease. It's definitely a struggle to stay calm!
Thanks,
Elaine
-
- November 10, 2014 at 1:47 am
Hi Squash,
That is exactly what the oncologist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering said. He said CLND would extend recurrence free time, not OS, and that there are benefits to keeping the nodes for fighting melanoma and infection for someone my age (45).
Stressful, but I feel like I'm in good hands with a top melanoma specialist.
Teodora, I understand that sometimes it feels like you just CANT stay ahead of this disease. It's definitely a struggle to stay calm!
Thanks,
Elaine
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- November 10, 2014 at 9:48 pm
In my heart I believe it's a seroma. I will definitely ask for an ultrasound, but the appointment is three weeks away. I'm seeing my endocrinologist on 11/25 though, and she should be able to notice if something's up. I can do this. 🙂
Ugh!
Thank you for the calming input. That is just what I needed.
Best,
Elaine
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- November 10, 2014 at 9:48 pm
In my heart I believe it's a seroma. I will definitely ask for an ultrasound, but the appointment is three weeks away. I'm seeing my endocrinologist on 11/25 though, and she should be able to notice if something's up. I can do this. 🙂
Ugh!
Thank you for the calming input. That is just what I needed.
Best,
Elaine
-
- November 10, 2014 at 9:48 pm
In my heart I believe it's a seroma. I will definitely ask for an ultrasound, but the appointment is three weeks away. I'm seeing my endocrinologist on 11/25 though, and she should be able to notice if something's up. I can do this. 🙂
Ugh!
Thank you for the calming input. That is just what I needed.
Best,
Elaine
-
- November 9, 2014 at 4:45 am
Seromas, cysts, reactions to stitches and scar tissue can all be reasons for swelling. You could also have a reactive node that swells as a result of infection/trauma, but never returns to normal size. Just don't jump to conclusions because there are lots of benign causes out there!
-
- November 9, 2014 at 4:45 am
Seromas, cysts, reactions to stitches and scar tissue can all be reasons for swelling. You could also have a reactive node that swells as a result of infection/trauma, but never returns to normal size. Just don't jump to conclusions because there are lots of benign causes out there!
-
- November 9, 2014 at 4:11 am
Thank you, Linny and Teodora. 🙂
Linny, when I'm sane, I believe my story is going to turn out just like yours. It'll be some kind of fluid accumulation from surgery, no big deal. When I'm not sane, well…you know how that goes!
I had one node removed for the SLNB in July. There was an extremely small amount of melanoma in that node, and in fact, the lab isn't positive it's melanoma. Surgery was 7/10, I'm being treated in Chicago, but my node is currently in the lab at Memorial Sloan Kettering, as the pathologists are trying to figure it all out.
My onc in Chicago and the onc at Memorial Sloan-Kettering both advised me against the CLND as they feel it is unlikely that the melanoma passed into the lymph basin. They explained that they can't know for sure, but to both of them, the CLND seems like overkill as nodes are very useful in fighting infections and melanoma. Plus, lymphedema, possibly unnecessary surgery, etc.
i guess I'll have to wait it out until 12/2, but it won't be easy.
Thanks,
Elaine
-
- November 9, 2014 at 4:11 am
Thank you, Linny and Teodora. 🙂
Linny, when I'm sane, I believe my story is going to turn out just like yours. It'll be some kind of fluid accumulation from surgery, no big deal. When I'm not sane, well…you know how that goes!
I had one node removed for the SLNB in July. There was an extremely small amount of melanoma in that node, and in fact, the lab isn't positive it's melanoma. Surgery was 7/10, I'm being treated in Chicago, but my node is currently in the lab at Memorial Sloan Kettering, as the pathologists are trying to figure it all out.
My onc in Chicago and the onc at Memorial Sloan-Kettering both advised me against the CLND as they feel it is unlikely that the melanoma passed into the lymph basin. They explained that they can't know for sure, but to both of them, the CLND seems like overkill as nodes are very useful in fighting infections and melanoma. Plus, lymphedema, possibly unnecessary surgery, etc.
i guess I'll have to wait it out until 12/2, but it won't be easy.
Thanks,
Elaine
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