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 dont think i was. I have a chest and throat infection now which started a few days ago but I had my scan on the 14th of June). I was wondering if the hypothyroidism can have any impact on lymph nodes? Or does any else have any experience of anything else that might cause this lymph node to be enlarged
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 you can offer in the interim would be very much appreciated. Thanks
