Enlarged lymph nodes on one side of neck

RyKriTe

I was dx with stage IIb in 2005.  I've had some ups and downs, but so far have remained NED.  I did ten tons of treatment: double mastectomies, ooph/hyst, chemo, radiation, Herceptin, AIs then tamoxifen, Zometa.

 In September 2009 I had a giant scare: bad MRI, ultrasound, PET, CT.  (I don't do mammograms because of how much damage I had from radiation.)  I ended up having four very large lymph nodes removed from my neck surgically for biopsy (there were also large/suspicious nodes under my sternum, but their placement made them inoperable).  These nodes were on my non-cancer side - and they were benign.  (HURRAH!)

 A few weeks ago I found more lumps in my neck, not on the scarline,  but in the general area of the previous node removal.  After a week they hadn't gone away, so I went to my (beloved) onc.  She felt them too, but we decided to try a round of antibiotics to see if the nodes would go down.  They didn't.

 So today I went back in, and now I'm set to see a neck surgeon again to discuss removal.  I am concerned about doing further testing because the last time it took a couple of months of torture before the surgery, and I still had to do the surgery.

 My tumor markers are a little higher than before, but well within normal ranges.  The nodes are only on one side, not both.

 Has anyone ever experienced anything like this?  What was the conclusion?  I'm either looking at "nothing" or metastatic disease.  I'm having a hard time staying sane through it all.

Ideas?  Insights?  Anecdotes?

Thanks in advance for your help and support.

Jenniferz

I have no words of wisdom. but pushing this back to the top to see if someone can give you some clues. Of course you're having trouble staying sane, you've been through quite enough. I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers, hoping that things are and remain B9.



Jennifer

RyKriTe

I am just checking in here in case someone else has the same situation and comes looking for answers.

 I ended up having surgery to have five nodes removed from my neck, and they were all benign, and I remain NED.  I am grateful with every pore in my body - it could so easily have gone the other way.

lexi4

Kristina,

I am so happy and relieved for you. Great news!

Hugs,

Lexi

scrapmom40

That's great news!!  So happy for you.  Thanks for checking back and letting us know.

Karen