My radiation oncologist is working up "THE PLAN" for treatment, which will start Monday. The simulation CT had a lot of artifact due to dental work, so I had to have an MRI also. He called yesterday because the MRI picked up an enlarged lymph node on my face, just above the jaw on the side of the resection. This lymph node is part of the facial lymph nodes. I had noticed it post-op and asked both my Moffitt surgeon and my ENT here in Jacksonville about it. Neither thinks it is of any concern--probably just a reactive lymph node due to the surgery. However, my RO is going to include it in the area to be zapped. I did an internet search and have read that mets can occur to this lymph node, esp. from the area where my tumor was. All my cervical lymph nodes were clear, and this one did not show up on the PET/CT scan. But now I am a little worried and am hoping I am just overly paranoid!? Any thoughts from anyone, or has anyone else experienced this?


Susan
Age 51, married with four kids age 11-18, 9/1/2010, Bx: high grade mucoepidermoid CA left sublingual gland.
10/8/2010, wide excision left floor of mouth, modified radical node dissection left neck.
T1N0M0. IMRT started 11/22.
Never smoked, light social drinker
Also happen to be ICU RN