Recurrence concern - swollen lymph node - 01-31-2007 12:17 PM
Hi all,
I finished treatment in May 2006 - Cisplatn x 3 and IMRT x 35. SCC lateral/rear tongue, too big to operate but no apparent spread to lymph nodes.
Post treatment everything has been clicking along pretty well - good reports at my monthly doc appointments, everything looks ok.
Shortly after one of my monthly appointments I started to notice my sub-mandibular lymph node on the right side was swollen/hard. That's the same side I had the cancer on. Three weeks later when it was time for my next doc appointment, it was still there. About 10 days before my doc appointment I had gotten a sinus infection and was given some antibiotic for that.
When I saw my doc he seemed concerned (maybe I'm reading in) but said it could just be an infection. He told me to keep taking the antibiotics in case it's just an infection, and come back in two weeks. He said if it was still swollen then, he wanted me to get a PET scan. It's been a week and the swelling has not improved at all - the lymph node is still hard as a rock. So, I'll be back in to see him soon and I assume I'll be off shortly thereafter to get a PET scan.
I have searched and had very little success finding info on swollen lymph nodes as a sign of recurrence. I do have some ulceration occuring in the mouth, which he noticed during the exam.
My last PET scan was in October and it was clear - and like I mentioned, no areas of particular concern during subsequent exams. Can recurrence happen that quickly? I know that nobody can answer whether this is a likely recurrence or not, but I am curious to hear from anybody who had a recurrence and how quickly the events happened for you.
thanks
Steve
I finished treatment in May 2006 - Cisplatn x 3 and IMRT x 35. SCC lateral/rear tongue, too big to operate but no apparent spread to lymph nodes.
Post treatment everything has been clicking along pretty well - good reports at my monthly doc appointments, everything looks ok.
Shortly after one of my monthly appointments I started to notice my sub-mandibular lymph node on the right side was swollen/hard. That's the same side I had the cancer on. Three weeks later when it was time for my next doc appointment, it was still there. About 10 days before my doc appointment I had gotten a sinus infection and was given some antibiotic for that.
When I saw my doc he seemed concerned (maybe I'm reading in) but said it could just be an infection. He told me to keep taking the antibiotics in case it's just an infection, and come back in two weeks. He said if it was still swollen then, he wanted me to get a PET scan. It's been a week and the swelling has not improved at all - the lymph node is still hard as a rock. So, I'll be back in to see him soon and I assume I'll be off shortly thereafter to get a PET scan.
I have searched and had very little success finding info on swollen lymph nodes as a sign of recurrence. I do have some ulceration occuring in the mouth, which he noticed during the exam.
My last PET scan was in October and it was clear - and like I mentioned, no areas of particular concern during subsequent exams. Can recurrence happen that quickly? I know that nobody can answer whether this is a likely recurrence or not, but I am curious to hear from anybody who had a recurrence and how quickly the events happened for you.
thanks
Steve