Enlarged paratracheal superior mediastinal lymph node + upper lung lobe nodule..Should I worry?

[duffydog]

I went to the doctor for a kidney/bladder infection back in August 06.  After two rounds of antibiotics and 3 weeks it cleared up.  When it cleared my throat became sore and I was hoarse.  Went back to the doc and he said no worries, just a virus that took advantage of a weakened immune system.  Went back again a month later because it was still sore and I was still hoarse.  He put me on another round of antibiotics but still hoarse, still sore.  Jan 07 I went in again and he sent me to an ENT.  The ENT had a CT scan done w/contrast of the neck and it revealed shotty lymph nodes in the neck and an enlarged mediastinal lymph node in the chest.  ENT then ordered a CT Scan of the chest but they were not able to do the contrast this time because my veins kept collapsing.  CT Scan of the chest showed the enlarged lymph node in the chest as well as a subpleural posterior segment right upper lobe nodule.  Been experiencing low grade fevers, night sweats, chest pressure, upper stomach pressure, nausea, difficulty swallowing, tiredness and headaches for about two years now.  The PCP did some bloodwork and it all came back perfectly normal.  He says to play the waiting game for the next 3-6 months then re-scan and see if anything has changed.  Oh yeah, he acknowledges that my lymph nodes under both arms are swollen and have ridges but says it is due to repeated under arm infection.  Should I be worried?  Should I wait it out like he says?  The stress is killing my husband and I need a referral in order to go to someone else.  Thanks!  duffydog

[orphanannie59]

just a note, these are the symptoms of lung cancer as well, especially the hoarseness.  My mother had mediastinal lung cancer (in the middle of her chest) that was hidden in xrays, and also has swollen lymph glands and all the symptoms you are describing.  I don't like the way doctors just have a wait and see attitude, I would get a 2nd opinion or go to another facility.

[utahmomma]

Follow the advice on checking the lymphoma but I'm still leaning towards something thyroid related.

Yeah, I know you had yours removed.  I did too (papillary carcinoma).  Two short years later I had a significant amount of "regrowth" and had to have it nuked (it was cancerous again).  

Thyroid tissue can grow back and thyroid cancer loves lymph nodes.  Talk to your endocrinologist about an uptake scan to see where your thyroid tissues may be.  Often it's been found to migrate all throughout people's bodies but loves the upper chest, lymph areas, lungs, etc.

Your uptake scan can be run while other things are being checked out.  The amount of radiation in this scan is pretty low and doesn't preclude many other scans (I and a bunch of MRIs a week after a much, much higher dose of radiation for the cancer recurrence).

Also check with your insurance and see if they cover a PET scan.  A PET scan is where glucose is radiated then injected into your body.  Cool thing is that cancer LOVES glucose and this scan can find the smallest amounts of cancer.  Many insurances won't cover it.

Hang in there and let us know!

[utahmomma]

Ask your doctor for an ultrasound of your thyroid.  It's non-invasive so no worries about contrast or collapsing veins.

When you say you have:
  been experiencing low grade fevers, night sweats, chest pressure, upper stomach pressure, nausea, difficulty swallowing, tiredness and headaches for about two years now . . .
it really struck a chord since many of those symptoms could easily be thyroid related.  

So can the lymph node swelling.

Good luck

[duffydog]

In regards to the thyroid...My was removed in 1995 due to "hot spots" seen on a routine scan (I had been diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease and a large goiter after a 1986 car accident revealed the goiter).  The goiter was nine times the size of the gland and had wrapped itself around the vocal cords.  It was actually obstructing my breathing and I had no idea.  The pathology came back on the goiter fine, no signs of any cancer.  So, no thyroid to worry about any more.  Any additional comments r advise?

[DebM412]

This could also be lymphoma. The symptoms are that of lymphoma. The only to have this diagnosed is to have one of the lymph nodes biopsied.

Hope you feel better!

Deb

[Springbrock04]

I am not sure if this is same thing but I had abnormal ct of chest.  I had Enlerged lymph nodes all over esuphagus,in lungs and had several nodules in lungs. I had a media... something ( a biopsy) done through bottom of neck. It turned out to be nothing just inlarged from old infection. Now I have a scar for nothing. I have to have it scanned again in 6 months. I wish you luck.