Hi everyone. Im hoping to get some advice. I have Stage 4 melanoma (which started on the crown of my head) for which I received aggressive immunotherapy last year which resulted in many side effects including hypopituitarism and hypothyroidism as well as colitis and liver inflammation. However, 4 months ago I got the news that I could only have dreamt of in that I was NED (no evidence of disease). This time last year I had tumours in my head, my neck and my lung.
However my most recent scan taken a couple of weeks ago flagged up a 9mm lymph node in the submandibular area that they want to investigate further. There was no sign of cancer anywhere else in my body which is great but I'm pertified as to what this lymph node might be a sign of. I know lymph nodes can become enlarged due to infection but I wasn't ill at the time of my last scan (at least I don't think I was. I have a throat and chest infection now but it onl reared its head this week and my scan was on the 14th of June). I was wondering if the hypothyroidism can have any impact on lymph nodes? Or is there anything else that could be the cause of the enlarged lymph node.
I had a right sided neck dissection in 2021 and I thought all my lymph nodes were removed but apparently they all were taken out except for the submandibular ones. My scans are to be discussed at an upcoming multi disciplinary team meeting and I've been advised they will probably recommend a biopsy. My medical team are fantastic but any advice or insights you can offer in the interim would be very much appreciated. Thanks
Good Morning Shelly30
I hope you do not mind me replying as I had a different type of cancer to you. By doing so it will bump your post and hopefully someone who has had a similar experience with see it and offer support.
I am sorry to hear of your journey so far and can understand how worrying it must be to be told of the enlarged gland.
I hope that the MDT happens quickly and that you have some answers very soon.
In the meantime maybe think about giving the Support Line a call and talking things through with one of the nurses who would be able to answer some of the medical questions you need answers to. They would know about the hypothyroidism and any potential effect on the lymph nodes.
Hopefully someone will now see your post and offer some more specific support.
Jane
I hope you do not mind me replying as I had a different type of cancer to you. By doing so it will bump your post and hopefully someone who has had a similar experience with see it and offer support.
Sorry Shelly, I’m sure I replied to this post straightaway but it seems to have got lost.
Your scan should have been reported by now so you should be seen soon. I would give your CNS a ring tomorrow morning to chase this up.
Your oncologist is the only one armed with all the facts. A biopsy does seem the way to go
Us throat cancer patients ( I know that’s different from what you had) are warned to look out for hypothyroidism as a result of neck irradiation and as far as I know enlarged lymph nodes are not associated
I hope you get an answer soon.
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
