Lumps in upper leg (thigh)

I have five pea sized hard lumps in my right thigh, they are kind of dotted around randomly (two in my inner thigh, two in the middle and one towards the outer region). They are not painful, apart from when I squeeze them. They are just under the skin and can be moved about, but they are firm and don't have much give (not squidgy). I tried stabbing them with a needle to see whether they were cysts, but only blood came out (no puss), so I guess they are not cysts. I did a little research about lymph nodes, but from what I have read, even when they are inflammed they are soft (which these are not). Obviously, cancer has occurred to me, but I'd rather not contemplate that. Any other possibilities that I have missed? Thanks in advance for any advice.