My 10 year son has swollen groin lymph node

kavalos19

Hello! I am a worried Mom of a 10 year old boy. He has a swollen groin lymph node. I noticed it about a week and a half ago by accident. I walked in on him getting ready and bam it was right in my face. I don't know how long it was there for. We immediately went to the doctor and they had him start on antibiotics. It's been 10 days and the lump has not gotten smaller. We went back to the doctor today and got blood work drawn. Once we get the results, the doctor said we will get an ultrasound. He hasn't said what it is or isn't. I'm so scared and worried. What else could it be at this point? Cancer is flashing through my head and I'm terrified. Any help would be so amazing. Thank you.

 

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3

Mom

Your son's doctor is not speculating on a possible cause of the swelling since he at this point does not know the source. Even an oncolgost could not know.

Childhood cancers are extremely rare, so do not jump to worst-possible conclusions. The doctor sounds thorough; most would not probably even be ordering an ultrasound at this point.  If anything looks suspicious to a radiologist, a CT would likely be next, and perhaps a biopsy.

Utrasound and CT are totally painless, and biopsy, depending on type, is usually close to painless also.  Share the blood panel results if you wish. Kids sense anxiety in parents, so please for his sake and yours, proceed calmly and quietly.

max

kavalos19

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 said:

Mom

Your son's doctor is not speculating on a possible cause of the swelling since he at this point does not know the source. Even an oncolgost could not know.

Childhood cancers are extremely rare, so do not jump to worst-possible conclusions. The doctor sounds thorough; most would not probably even be ordering an ultrasound at this point.  If anything looks suspicious to a radiologist, a CT would likely be next, and perhaps a biopsy.

Utrasound and CT are totally painless, and biopsy, depending on type, is usually close to painless also.  Share the blood panel results if you wish. Kids sense anxiety in parents, so please for his sake and yours, proceed calmly and quietly.

max

Thank you for responding. His

Thank you for responding. His blood work was normal so we have an ultrasound set up in 2 weeks. I don't know if it's good or bad that his blood work was normal.

Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3

kavalos19 said:

Thank you for responding. His

Thank you for responding. His blood work was normal so we have an ultrasound set up in 2 weeks. I don't know if it's good or bad that his blood work was normal.

Yes, good

Yes, I would think it good that his blood panel was normal.  But I understand your point: Does 'normal' rule out an infection of some sort.  The prior use of antibiotics likely did that already, but some infections are resistant. And the WBC does not test for a multitude of autoimmune problems.

So we just still do not know at this point.  The ultrasound will be a huge step forward toward diagnosis. But a biopsy may well be required.  But be aware that a week here, two weeks there investigating Lymphoma is almost always irrelevant; it virtually never moves fast enough for the dalays to cause problems. And most Lymphomas (if it is such) are about as treatable at late stages as they are at incipient stages.  This is a characteristic that makes Lymphoma diagnosis and treatment very different than many organ cancers.  I had massive involvemnt in every corner of my body, but it was about 2.5 months between my diagnosis and my first treatment. I asked the oncologist about this and he told me that it was absolutely irrelevant and not a cause for concern.

Remain calm and optimistic.  While difficult, the waiting is not making things worse for him,

max

po18guy

How long has he had it?

If it has been there for, say several months, it is most likely not any form of cancer. Children do not get slow-growing cancers. Whether a brain tumor, leukemia or lymphoma, childhood cancers are aggressive and the child will become very sick very quickly. As well, lymph nodes are not cancer detectors. They help fight infection. When doctor checks around his jaw and underarms, it is not cancer that is being looked for, but the signs of common infection, whether viral, bacterial or fungal. Antibiotics are routinely given, and this is part of the problem. They cannot touch viruses or fungal infections, which leads parents to suspect the worst when no such concern is needed.

kavalos19

po18guy said:

How long has he had it?

If it has been there for, say several months, it is most likely not any form of cancer. Children do not get slow-growing cancers. Whether a brain tumor, leukemia or lymphoma, childhood cancers are aggressive and the child will become very sick very quickly. As well, lymph nodes are not cancer detectors. They help fight infection. When doctor checks around his jaw and underarms, it is not cancer that is being looked for, but the signs of common infection, whether viral, bacterial or fungal. Antibiotics are routinely given, and this is part of the problem. They cannot touch viruses or fungal infections, which leads parents to suspect the worst when no such concern is needed.

It definitely hasn't been

It definitely hasn't been months. A few weeks, a month tops. It's been 2 weeks since i first saw it. It has not gotten smaller. It's hard, doesn't move. While I know it could be infection, his bloodworm did not show any. 

po18guy

Lymph nodes, once reactive

Lymph nodes, once reactive and expanded, may never return to normal size. They can develop scar tissue that is permanent.