Worried about supporting partner

Dear Jma92

Thanks for getting in touch with us at the online community. My name is Penelope and I am one of the Cancer Information Nurse Specialists.

Your enquiry has come through to the right place but if you would like to talk to one of the nurses directly you can also contact us via webchat or phone on the Macmillan Support Line. The support Line is available daily from 8am to 8pm.

I am sorry to hear about your concerns and that you are finding it hard to look forward to getting married. Organising a wedding can be a busy time so it must be challenging to have additional concerns about the health of your husband-to-be.

With any new or changing symptoms we would always recommend that someone contacts their hospital team, GP or NHS 111. If your husband-to-be has the contact details of a clinical nurse specialist (CNS) he could get in touch with them or the consultant’s secretary to report the swollen lymph node and ask for prompt advice from the hospital. They will have his medical details and be able to decide if any investigations would be needed before the next scan in 3 months.

We are unable to say via this platform if the swollen lymph node is related to your husband-to-be’s previous testicular cancer, but it would be important to find out. Our information on testicular cancer explains that treatment can be very effective even if the cancer has come back. Cancer Research UK also has some information if your testicular cancer comes back which states that treatment can usually still cure the cancer.

When you have a big event coming up it can be tempting to defer any health concerns, but we would always suggest that things are reported as soon as possible. The sooner any symptoms are investigated the more effective treatment can be if any further treatment was necessary. Alternatively, if the swollen lymph node is unrelated to your husband-to-be’s previous cancer, then it would be reassuring to know this.

In answer to your question lymph nodes can swell for other reasons such as infection. When someone has had a cancer diagnosis, however, we would always suggest that more serious concerns such as recurrence are ruled out.

It is natural that you may be worried about the health of your husband-to-be, and it is important that you are able to express your concerns and get support for yourself. Living with uncertainty can be difficult and it may be helpful to have an outlet for your concerns. As mentioned above please do contact us on the Macmillan Support Line if you would like to talk things through. You can also take a look at these resources from Every Mind Matters or these NHS mental wellbeing audio guides. The audio guides are short recording to help with worries and promote relaxation. The benefit of even taking a few minutes of time for yourself can be very powerful.

Best wishes

Penelope, Cancer Information Nurse Specialist 

You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email. 

Ref/KD