› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Misshapen, but normal size lymph nodes??
- This topic has 15 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 1 month ago by
vycki727.
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- February 14, 2017 at 1:56 pm
I have just returned from my first specialist appointment, after being diagnosed with T1a melanoma in my thigh – 0.8mm, no mitosis, no ulceration, clark level II-III, regression present.
I have alredy done the WLE, and the results from that were clear – no more cancer found. Given the state of my tumor, plus the fact that I am pregnant, we did not do an SNLB.
With the oncologist today, I had an ultrasound of my lymph nodes in my groin. Everything was going fine, till the oncologist found a misshapen one. It is still small, not swollen or enlarged, but also not a normal oval – instead, it is thinner on both edges, and thicker in the middle (like a snake swallowed a mouse type of thing).
When I asked if he thought this was because of the melanoma, he said "no". Still, he said that we should watch it and I will go back in one month to have another ultrasound of it.
I was too firghtened and didn't have the foresight to ask him – if it isn't malignant, what could be causing it?? Isn't it most likely malignant??
I know the odds of a T1a tumor like mine spreading are low, but it is still a possibility. I am seriously scared, and wondering if anyone has any idea what this could mean – have you had misshapen nodes that came back clear for cancer? Is this a thing that happens?
The internet has pratically no information on misshapen nodes, just swollen or hardened ones, so curious if you all have any insights.
Thank you in advance for your experiences/thoughts!
- Replies
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- February 14, 2017 at 2:06 pm
Most docs scan later stages and don't use ultrasound (some exceptions). Not sure you are going to find a scan calling out a misshapen node that is less than 1cm small on a scan. Ultrasound may be more telling in this case. There are reactive nodes that may swell for some reason then not return to normal. It's possible that something like this could have affected this node. Hard not to worry – especially when pregnant – but remember, most people are not getting individual nodes scanned at this level so can't compare even if they had something similar. We actually have lots of benign or weird stuff in our bodies that isn't something to worry about and is only brought to light when we are looking for something else.
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- February 14, 2017 at 2:06 pm
Most docs scan later stages and don't use ultrasound (some exceptions). Not sure you are going to find a scan calling out a misshapen node that is less than 1cm small on a scan. Ultrasound may be more telling in this case. There are reactive nodes that may swell for some reason then not return to normal. It's possible that something like this could have affected this node. Hard not to worry – especially when pregnant – but remember, most people are not getting individual nodes scanned at this level so can't compare even if they had something similar. We actually have lots of benign or weird stuff in our bodies that isn't something to worry about and is only brought to light when we are looking for something else.
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- February 14, 2017 at 2:06 pm
Most docs scan later stages and don't use ultrasound (some exceptions). Not sure you are going to find a scan calling out a misshapen node that is less than 1cm small on a scan. Ultrasound may be more telling in this case. There are reactive nodes that may swell for some reason then not return to normal. It's possible that something like this could have affected this node. Hard not to worry – especially when pregnant – but remember, most people are not getting individual nodes scanned at this level so can't compare even if they had something similar. We actually have lots of benign or weird stuff in our bodies that isn't something to worry about and is only brought to light when we are looking for something else.
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- February 14, 2017 at 4:57 pm
Hi,
If they were worried then they would have suggested a FNA- fine needle aspiration where a sample of cells are extracted then sent away for path stains etc. Reading between the lines the sonographer has seen an unusual shape- but no signs of the lymph node obtaining a vascular structure and a blood supply allowing melanoma to grow. Watchful waiting sounds sensible at this point. Lymph nodes can react to previous infections and never quite return to original size. The odds of it being a problem are low- but they will be able to identify problematic changes early if things don't work out as expected.
Try to put the fear to the back of your mind if you can. You are NED – no evidence of disease and that is unlikely to change, but keep your monitoring appointments- we all have unexpected incidental findings on scans etc. and I guess it just gets easier to cope with these the more "normal" the anomalies become.
Best of luck with the pregnancy,
Deb
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- February 14, 2017 at 7:07 pm
Hi Deb and Anon,
Thank you for your replies. I am hopeful that this really is just a "normal anomalie" and in 4 weeks time I can feel as positive as NED warrants. I do take solace in the fact that they weren't worried enough about it to take any action immediately. Thank you again for your support and replies – this is not how I imagined my first pregnancy, and trying to cope with all of those changes plus this terrifying cancer diagnosis is really a lot to handle. I was really hoping to be fully "done" today, and this misshapen node has thrown me for another loop of waiting and worrying. I guess I just need to learn how to deal with these "loops", but appreciate knowing there are others out there who are there to support.
Thanks,
Vicky
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- February 14, 2017 at 7:07 pm
Hi Deb and Anon,
Thank you for your replies. I am hopeful that this really is just a "normal anomalie" and in 4 weeks time I can feel as positive as NED warrants. I do take solace in the fact that they weren't worried enough about it to take any action immediately. Thank you again for your support and replies – this is not how I imagined my first pregnancy, and trying to cope with all of those changes plus this terrifying cancer diagnosis is really a lot to handle. I was really hoping to be fully "done" today, and this misshapen node has thrown me for another loop of waiting and worrying. I guess I just need to learn how to deal with these "loops", but appreciate knowing there are others out there who are there to support.
Thanks,
Vicky
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- February 14, 2017 at 7:07 pm
Hi Deb and Anon,
Thank you for your replies. I am hopeful that this really is just a "normal anomalie" and in 4 weeks time I can feel as positive as NED warrants. I do take solace in the fact that they weren't worried enough about it to take any action immediately. Thank you again for your support and replies – this is not how I imagined my first pregnancy, and trying to cope with all of those changes plus this terrifying cancer diagnosis is really a lot to handle. I was really hoping to be fully "done" today, and this misshapen node has thrown me for another loop of waiting and worrying. I guess I just need to learn how to deal with these "loops", but appreciate knowing there are others out there who are there to support.
Thanks,
Vicky
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- February 14, 2017 at 4:57 pm
Hi,
If they were worried then they would have suggested a FNA- fine needle aspiration where a sample of cells are extracted then sent away for path stains etc. Reading between the lines the sonographer has seen an unusual shape- but no signs of the lymph node obtaining a vascular structure and a blood supply allowing melanoma to grow. Watchful waiting sounds sensible at this point. Lymph nodes can react to previous infections and never quite return to original size. The odds of it being a problem are low- but they will be able to identify problematic changes early if things don't work out as expected.
Try to put the fear to the back of your mind if you can. You are NED – no evidence of disease and that is unlikely to change, but keep your monitoring appointments- we all have unexpected incidental findings on scans etc. and I guess it just gets easier to cope with these the more "normal" the anomalies become.
Best of luck with the pregnancy,
Deb
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- February 14, 2017 at 4:57 pm
Hi,
If they were worried then they would have suggested a FNA- fine needle aspiration where a sample of cells are extracted then sent away for path stains etc. Reading between the lines the sonographer has seen an unusual shape- but no signs of the lymph node obtaining a vascular structure and a blood supply allowing melanoma to grow. Watchful waiting sounds sensible at this point. Lymph nodes can react to previous infections and never quite return to original size. The odds of it being a problem are low- but they will be able to identify problematic changes early if things don't work out as expected.
Try to put the fear to the back of your mind if you can. You are NED – no evidence of disease and that is unlikely to change, but keep your monitoring appointments- we all have unexpected incidental findings on scans etc. and I guess it just gets easier to cope with these the more "normal" the anomalies become.
Best of luck with the pregnancy,
Deb
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- February 15, 2017 at 11:55 am
After reading your post I checked on Internet about misshapen LN and seems like you better have it tested or simply taken out, do not wait for another month.
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- February 15, 2017 at 11:55 am
After reading your post I checked on Internet about misshapen LN and seems like you better have it tested or simply taken out, do not wait for another month.
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- February 15, 2017 at 11:55 am
After reading your post I checked on Internet about misshapen LN and seems like you better have it tested or simply taken out, do not wait for another month.
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