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Can this be the sign of lymph node cancer?
Hi there,
About six weeks ago I've got very sore throat followed by cough, swollen lymph nodes and white patches on the back of the throat. I went to doctor and he prescribed me penicillin but It didn't really seem to help. After a while when I realize symptoms won't go away on it's own I went to doctors again and he prescribed me another round of different antibiotics which I finished today. However, I noticed that throat isn't as sore as before although white dots on the back are still present as well as one huge lymph node on the left side of my neck. Now, throat doesn't bothers me so much anymore since It got a bit better but that enlarged lymph node doesn't seem to go away or decrease for 8 weeks now. Its hard on touch but I can kind of move it under skin and it's not visible but I can definitely touch it. It is also not very painful but from time to time it is a bit tender on touch. I wouldn't be so concerned since I know lymph modes tend to swell during infections and I definitely had one but It worries me that this is happening just on one side and doesn't disappear even now when infection is almost completely cured. I would like to hear your opinion does this sounds like lymph node cancer, should I be concerned about that? My doctor doesn't seem to pay too much attention on node itself as he rather focuses on the infection but I think this doesn't has to do anything with throat anymore. Please give me advice I am very worried, thank you so much for your time!
About six weeks ago I've got very sore throat followed by cough, swollen lymph nodes and white patches on the back of the throat. I went to doctor and he prescribed me penicillin but It didn't really seem to help. After a while when I realize symptoms won't go away on it's own I went to doctors again and he prescribed me another round of different antibiotics which I finished today. However, I noticed that throat isn't as sore as before although white dots on the back are still present as well as one huge lymph node on the left side of my neck. Now, throat doesn't bothers me so much anymore since It got a bit better but that enlarged lymph node doesn't seem to go away or decrease for 8 weeks now. Its hard on touch but I can kind of move it under skin and it's not visible but I can definitely touch it. It is also not very painful but from time to time it is a bit tender on touch. I wouldn't be so concerned since I know lymph modes tend to swell during infections and I definitely had one but It worries me that this is happening just on one side and doesn't disappear even now when infection is almost completely cured. I would like to hear your opinion does this sounds like lymph node cancer, should I be concerned about that? My doctor doesn't seem to pay too much attention on node itself as he rather focuses on the infection but I think this doesn't has to do anything with throat anymore. Please give me advice I am very worried, thank you so much for your time!
COMMUNITY LEADER
Congratulations, you got the best sono report you could hope for.
But no, there wouldn't be any reasonable doc who would order a biopsy for this, no surgeon would do it and no insurance would pay for it.
You can dismiss thoughts of cancer.
But no, there wouldn't be any reasonable doc who would order a biopsy for this, no surgeon would do it and no insurance would pay for it.
You can dismiss thoughts of cancer.
1 Comments
Thank you so much Ken, I am very grateful there is still people like you willing to share advice and knowledge with others. Wish you all the best :)
Soo, I received my results today and here they are.
Ultrasound has shown that everything except enlargment is just fine with my nodes. The doctor said centre and tissue of the node looks fine and blood flow trough node seems to be normal.
My blood count is absolutely normal and is not showing my body is battling anything at the moment.
Mono throat swab came back non reactive.
As I mentioned I feel better than before so my doctor thinks that the viral infection I had alredy settled down and now this node could take very long time to go down as well (even up to six months+).
I guess this is a good indicator of my condition at the moment but I am also not sure are those tests enough go rule out cancer sinceI remember i read somewhere that the only way to know for sure is biopsy.
Ultrasound has shown that everything except enlargment is just fine with my nodes. The doctor said centre and tissue of the node looks fine and blood flow trough node seems to be normal.
My blood count is absolutely normal and is not showing my body is battling anything at the moment.
Mono throat swab came back non reactive.
As I mentioned I feel better than before so my doctor thinks that the viral infection I had alredy settled down and now this node could take very long time to go down as well (even up to six months+).
I guess this is a good indicator of my condition at the moment but I am also not sure are those tests enough go rule out cancer sinceI remember i read somewhere that the only way to know for sure is biopsy.
Hi again!
I don't think I'm able to get an access to an online report as a patient but I will for sure inform you about my results on Tuesday.
In the meantime my main lymph node swelling went a little bit down but I also noticed another one also in my neck little bit lower. It is significantly smaller than the one I was mentioning all along but it still worries me a lot. I'm not sure was this one here all the time just as the previous one and I noticed just now or this one swell recently... :\ Idk what to think guess all I can do is hope for the best. Thank you again for helping me by providing me with informations during this anxious time!
I don't think I'm able to get an access to an online report as a patient but I will for sure inform you about my results on Tuesday.
In the meantime my main lymph node swelling went a little bit down but I also noticed another one also in my neck little bit lower. It is significantly smaller than the one I was mentioning all along but it still worries me a lot. I'm not sure was this one here all the time just as the previous one and I noticed just now or this one swell recently... :\ Idk what to think guess all I can do is hope for the best. Thank you again for helping me by providing me with informations during this anxious time!
Thank you.. I just have no clue what's going on. Thank you again for your time you ease my mind to some point. :)
3 Comments
Well, a "group A streptococcus" infection is commonly called strep throat. That is known for causing white patches. It also, according to that doctors' web page, is known for enlarged nodes on one side (unilateral lymphadenopathy) that lasts along time.
It is a bacteria. It can be spread even by using a drinking glass from someone who is infected.
Possibly, the infection has gotten into that one node and has caused internal fibrosis/scarring. That's probably why it has not gone down.
So what you can do is to monitor yourself to see if you get any new symptoms, or if that node gets bigger or more tender.
Maybe you need another round of antibiotics. What is the name of the 2nd antibiotic that you were given?
Good luck to you.
It is a bacteria. It can be spread even by using a drinking glass from someone who is infected.
Possibly, the infection has gotten into that one node and has caused internal fibrosis/scarring. That's probably why it has not gone down.
So what you can do is to monitor yourself to see if you get any new symptoms, or if that node gets bigger or more tender.
Maybe you need another round of antibiotics. What is the name of the 2nd antibiotic that you were given?
Good luck to you.
I hope you are right. I'm just very frightened by the weird symptoms that I am having for a really long time now.
The second round of antibiotics doctor gave me is azithromycin and I was taking it for a week with no success. When I had an appointment after that he ordered throat swab, bloodwork and ultrasound for enlarged lymph node I mentioned before. He also said that since antibiotics never helped it's most probably something viral which is why he insisted on mono test as well - although I already had mono so I'm not so sure this is the case.
Right now I'm waiting for all results of the above - I have another appointment on Thursday and honestly I'm on the edge of tears.
Since you sound really knowledgeable and reliable when it comes to these things, If lymphoma is the case, will my doctor be able to see that from the tests he ordered, or at least get any suspicion that would direct him to search further about cancer?
Thank you so so much for your concern and time, you're putting my mind at ease. :)
The second round of antibiotics doctor gave me is azithromycin and I was taking it for a week with no success. When I had an appointment after that he ordered throat swab, bloodwork and ultrasound for enlarged lymph node I mentioned before. He also said that since antibiotics never helped it's most probably something viral which is why he insisted on mono test as well - although I already had mono so I'm not so sure this is the case.
Right now I'm waiting for all results of the above - I have another appointment on Thursday and honestly I'm on the edge of tears.
Since you sound really knowledgeable and reliable when it comes to these things, If lymphoma is the case, will my doctor be able to see that from the tests he ordered, or at least get any suspicion that would direct him to search further about cancer?
Thank you so so much for your concern and time, you're putting my mind at ease. :)
Glad to be of help. The sonogram would be useful in ruling out lymphoma. Can you get to the sonogram report online and post it here?
(Azithromycin is of a family of antibiotics that is used to treat strep. The throat swab will try to identify any bacteria.)
Overall, there is little reason to be afraid of lymphoma here.
(Azithromycin is of a family of antibiotics that is used to treat strep. The throat swab will try to identify any bacteria.)
Overall, there is little reason to be afraid of lymphoma here.
COMMUNITY LEADER
> just on one side and doesn't disappear
Hi, it doesn't sound like cancer. You can take a look here:
http://www.aafp.org/afp/2008/1101/p1097.html
"If there is a failure to regress, or symptoms are consistent with a bacterial infection (e.g., unilateral lymphadenopathy, purulent skin drainage, tenderness, fever, node size larger than 3 cm in diameter), obtaining cultures and initiation of empiric antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus or group A streptococcus are indicated."
Hi, it doesn't sound like cancer. You can take a look here:
http://www.aafp.org/afp/2008/1101/p1097.html
"If there is a failure to regress, or symptoms are consistent with a bacterial infection (e.g., unilateral lymphadenopathy, purulent skin drainage, tenderness, fever, node size larger than 3 cm in diameter), obtaining cultures and initiation of empiric antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus or group A streptococcus are indicated."
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