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Today when I was applying some lotion, I felt a hard, spherical, slightly mobile, painless, approximately 1” lump just above my collar bone, close to my neck. I did not feel surprised to find it — it felt familiar somehow, as if I had felt it many times before without thinking too much about it. On a whim though, I double-checked the other side and was surprised to find there was no lump there.
My thinking is that this is a swollen or infected lymph node. But I am feeling perfectly fine and have no other symptoms. I wouldn’t really think much more about it, except that:
1) I know swollen lymph nodes in the neck can be the first sign of lymphoma and
2) Two years ago I came off of a 1 1/2 year treatment with an immunosuppressant which is known to raise one’s risk of lymphoma.
So, should I go to the doctor ASAP to get this checked out? Or should I wait 2-4 weeks to see whether this lump goes away on its own (as it recommended online)?
I would recommend you get that examined. I had lymphoma that was successully treated....sooner treated the better.
I've had that come and go (thus, they were nothing) but anything that feels wrong to you should always be checked out by a physician. Do you have any other symptoms?
I've had that come and go (thus, they were nothing) but anything that feels wrong to you should always be checked out by a physician. Do you have any other symptoms?
No, I don’t. And to be honest, that’s what’s worrying me a little bit. I mean, if I were sick, I could always chalk the swollen node to the illness. Also, nodes that are swollen due to infection are typically tender or painful, relatively soft and bilateral, but hard, painless nodes on one side of the body only (what I have) are more associated with malignancy.
And, finally, my lump is large. I said 1 inch in the OP, but I measured it last night and it is larger — about 3cm in one dimension, at least. The larger the node, the more suspicious for malignancy.
But again I have an appointment really soon. At this point, I am feeling more curious than worried. Really, it could be anything.
Jill: Please come back and tell us the diagnosis !
Thanks, I definitely will.
Since the lump is visible, I realized I could go back and look at old pictures to see how long I’ve had it. I’ve definitely had it for at least 10 months and possibly as long as 3-4 years. I’m not really sure about the 3-4 years. In photos that far back I think I can still see it, but it looks smaller. It starts looking the size it is now about 10 months ago.
I saw my PCP this morning. He agreed that the lump was indeed a swollen lymph node and that it was suspicious for lymphoma. He referred me to a hematologist for further testing. I asked if there was any chance that it could be something besides lymphoma or another malignancy — if the nodes could have swollen due to infection, then hardened and remained swollen for so long? He said that it was possible with “certain kinds of infection,” but that I really needed to see a hematologist. He told me not to worry too much because most kind of lymphoma are highly treatable, even curable nowadays.
He had his office staff call the hematologist he recommended and set up an appointment for me. When I protested that the appointment fell on a really bad day for me, they said: “You have to cancel your other plans. The doctor says you need to be seen ASAP.” Great.
We will see ... I have, in the past, been absolutely sure I had malignancy only to find out it was nothing serious. Hopefully, that will be the case this time too.
I'm so glad you got in to see your PCP so quickly and didn't play the waiting game. Time is truly of the essence in a situation like yours. Hopefully it's something that will be easily and quickly resolved and not lymphoma.
Sending you best wishes and positive vibes. And keep us posted!
You might also want to see a GI Doc, in addition to the Hematologist, if you are having any GI symptoms along with this. If that takes too long to arrange, just go get the biopsy done. That will give you an answer much faster.
He didn't order an ultrasound of it? Is it in the front of the neck? I had something very similar, low, front/side of neck. It was my thyroid (not cancer).
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