Could I have lymphoma

[kdalton88]

I am a 28 year old female with a large 6 cm rubbery lump on my neck. My dr said she doesn't think it's my thyroid. I have been feeling tired and dizzy alot lately and having trouble concentrating and have tunnel vision from time to time. My dr ordered an mri, but never mentioned cancer, but I have a family history of it. No pain in the lump but I can feel it there sometimes. It seems to change in size but not sure.

[Ken_PA]

It should be stressed that at your young age, cancer is much, much less likely than for older people. Please keep that in mind. Best of luck to you with the scan, and please let me know how it turns out.

[Ken_PA]

I'm not a doctor, of course, and so anything I say should be taken with that in mind. And you can't know much for sure until the scan results, and then possibly afterward a biopsy to take a sample of tissue.

But it is generally good to go into an appointment knowing as much as you can beforehand.

That is *probably* a lymph node and it is reflecting what is going on in the chest. There are some infections that can be in the lungs and make a node above the right collarbone get larger. Have you seen any news accounts of tuberculosis outbreaks where you live?

There's also a mystery type of immune response in the lungs and elsewhere called sarcoidosis. That also would show up on an MRI of the lungs.

There could be other causes, too. Your doctor probably wants to first rule out lung cancer, not because it's likely but because they have to first rule out some of the worst possibilities. Lots of people have a cancer scare and then eventually find out it was not cancer.

If you ever have any questions, I'll be sure to try and help if I can. It can be very hard waiting for a scan and even worse to wait for the results. If you want, you can ask for the scan results to be mailed to you instead of waiting for the next doc appointment.

[Ken_PA]

Well, you can't do much but wait for the MRI scan. Also be very careful that you don't get so lightheaded that you fall and hit your head. How is your breathing when you breathe deep?

[kdalton88]

It takes effort to breathe deep. It's better today than it has been. Kind of hurts my chest. My mri is on the 23rd. I just want to be prepared if it is bad news.

[Ken_PA]

Even a benign lump can get larger, like a lipoma (which is a fatty mass, not a lymphoma).

Might be a cyst.

Is it symmetrical, being the same on each side? Or mainly to one side?

[kdalton88]

It's only on my right side. Low on my neck right above my collar bone. Not perfectly round but smooth. Kinda oblong.  

[Ken_PA]

Hi, it's not necessarily a cancer. The scan should be able to tell a lot.

How long has the mass been there and how quickly did it develop to be so big?

[kdalton88]

I have had the lump about 3-4 months. And I just randomly noticed it one night. It seems to have gotten larger though.