Is My Enlarged Lymph Node Cancerous?

[RWRRdude18]

Hello, first and foremost, thank you for taking the time to read this. I am new to this website and greatly appreciate the help and comfortable vibes you guys provide!   

I am 18/Male and have a 3cm grape-size, hard, moveable lymph node on the left side of my neck for atleast a year and a half, now. It is very deep inside my neck, however, so deep that I need to press in to find it sometimes.

 I had it examined by my doctor last year and she said it was normal, I have ordered three full blood counts ever since, one in February (2012), another in June, and one this January, they all came back normal. I also had a chest X-Ray done this month to see if there were enlarged lymph nodes inside, it came back normal as well. It's been almost two years, and I feel perfectly healthy. No symptoms whatsoever. The lymph node, although large
 in size, has not grown, shrunk, or caused any pain.

Additional Information:
-Since a toddler, I have had enlarged tonsils (which at one point, where considered to be removed.)
 -I am a hypochondriac, so when I found this lymph node, I continued to press on it a lot, maybe scarring it.
 - The doctors I have seen showed no concern. They say lymph nodes can scar and stay
 swollen for years, maybe decades, but I do not recall having an infection that could have cause them to swell
 in the first place.

If blood tests and x-rays came back normal, my doctors do not show concern, I have no symptoms, it's been almost two years and nothing has changed, is there a possibility something may be wrong? Please Help.

[marc]

Welcome to anxietyzone. If you have been examined by a physician, odds are you are OK. You could always
get a second opinion from an ENT as their specialty is the head and neck. I have been told that typically
movable lumps are not serious. It may also be a Lipoma, which are benign. Many years ago, I had a small lump
on the left upper side of my neck, that was diagnosed as a cyst.

[sixpack]

none of us can tell you whether you have cancer or not.

personally I would go by what your bloodwork and what your doctors have told you. 

what are you doing for your anxiety disorder?  what works?  what doesn't?  what are you willing to do to get your catastrophic thinking under control?  These disorders have causes and aren't just going to go away on their own.

[annoyingwife21]

I understand your fear- one swollen lymph node is what caused my health anxiety to get out of control. I went to 2 doctors because I couldn't trust the 1st ones opinion that I was fine. The second doctor did sit down and talk to me about lymphoma FIRST off you said the lymph node is movable (then you DONT have lymphoma). Lymph nodes swell up to fight infection and the ones in your neck are easily infected- all of your sinuses drain down your neck. My doctor also told me that when cancer grows- it does not take breaks or days off there would be substantial growth continually and would be hard and unmovable. I touched mine so much that I made it hard which can happen. Lymph nodes are very sensitive and are not to be "manhandled" you are not to touch your lymph nodes more than once per week and just glide you hand on them. You just got blood work done- it was fine and you are fine. Please make sure to get the anxiety under control because once your realize the lymph node is fine you will move on to something else. I hope this helps. I know your ok. I found that drinking a couple tsp's of apple cider vinegar per day cleared up the lymph node. They can get blocked so drink lots of water.

[RWRRdude18]

I understand your fear- one swollen lymph node is what caused my health anxiety to get out of control. I went to 2 doctors because I couldn't trust the 1st ones opinion that I was fine. The second doctor did sit down and talk to me about lymphoma FIRST off you said the lymph node is movable (then you DONT have lymphoma). Lymph nodes swell up to fight infection and the ones in your neck are easily infected- all of your sinuses drain down your neck. My doctor also told me that when cancer grows- it does not take breaks or days off there would be substantial growth continually and would be hard and unmovable. I touched mine so much that I made it hard which can happen. Lymph nodes are very sensitive and are not to be "manhandled" you are not to touch your lymph nodes more than once per week and just glide you hand on them. You just got blood work done- it was fine and you are fine. Please make sure to get the anxiety under control because once your realize the lymph node is fine you will move on to something else. I hope this helps. I know your ok. I found that drinking a couple tsp's of apple cider vinegar per day cleared up the lymph node. They can get blocked so drink lots of water.

Thank You so much for your input. I do have to say that your information put my mind at ease. Sometimes I stop and think to myself, "you are fine, stop worrying so much. Live your life, you are a teenager!" But my anxiety always returns. The fact that none  of my friends or family members have a rock-like ball in their necks, like I do, makes me feel different and scared. When I discovered the lymph node last year, it was already hard. But maybe it has not gone down because I have been messing with it ever since.

Question: If this was Cancer, Don't you guys think that in the course of almost two years, this lymph node would have grown or any symptoms would have appeared? And if the Chest X-Ray did not show any swollen lymph nodes and my blood chemistry is working just fine, could that mean that IF I had some sort of Cancer, it has not spread or caused any major alterations to my body?

Thank You All for your support.

[annoyingwife21]

Blood work would show cancer- Your white blood cells would be very elevated (meaning- way of the normal range.) Your body would not let cancer just sit there so that is why your white blood cells would get so high trying to repair something wrong with your body. ALSO there would be growth- cancer is not a lump, they are cells that are constantly multiplying no different then your red bloods and white blood cells that are constantly be replenished. You would notice growth and would definitely IM MEAN definitely show up on your blood work in January. I would really try the apple cider vinegar trick- it really shrunk mine down a lot and made my mind be put at ease. Goodluck and I am 26 so I am far from a teenager but enjoy yourself and don't let anxiety get of a hold of you it can get nasty and the worries worst if you let it get out of control as I have done the last 4months!
Feel free to post any questions about your lymph nodes on here-- I totally get it. ALSO I forgot to mention the lymph node if it were "cancer" would not be a smooth ball/bean it would be very textured and not feel right but stop messing with it!! It really is ok.

[RWRRdude18]

Blood work would show cancer- Your white blood cells would be very elevated (meaning- way of the normal range.) Your body would not let cancer just sit there so that is why your white blood cells would get so high trying to repair something wrong with your body. ALSO there would be growth- cancer is not a lump, they are cells that are constantly multiplying no different then your red bloods and white blood cells that are constantly be replenished. You would notice growth and would definitely IM MEAN definitely show up on your blood work in January. I would really try the apple cider vinegar trick- it really shrunk mine down a lot and made my mind be put at ease. Goodluck and I am 26 so I am far from a teenager but enjoy yourself and don't let anxiety get of a hold of you it can get nasty and the worries worst if you let it get out of control as I have done the last 4months!
Feel free to post any questions about your lymph nodes on here-- I totally get it. ALSO I forgot to mention the lymph node if it were "cancer" would not be a smooth ball/bean it would be very textured and not feel right but stop messing with it!! It really is ok.

That is exactly what all of my friends and family is telling me. I've had three full blood tests, technically, every 4 months for the past year. Something would have shown up. The lymph node that concerns me is about 3cm, the size of an olive and it is VERY hard in texture; but it moves. Those two do not seem to mix. I thought that my two doctors would be concerned when they felt a Large, Hard, Deep, Prolonged Lymph Node, but they were not at all. After the exams, one of them even said, "Good News, You do not have Cancer." But why am I still freaking out?! Since a little child, I've had little lymph nodes on both sides of my groin. Do you think some people are just succeptible to lymph node calcification?

As a child, I cut my entire foot with glass. It was a LARGE wound. I also had really enlarged tonsils/tonsilitis, and three years ago I fell and hit my eye on a brick. I needed three stitches. I also have mild to moderate acne and I'm pretty sure I've had a scalp infection. Could all of these have "scarred" my lymph nodes. Thank You so much once again. I am feeling better, day by day with your help.

[annoyingwife21]

Mine was the exact same size, it took months to shrink down. If you quite touching it for a couple of months I am sure yours will too.

[RWRRdude18]

After doing some research I found out that ringworm can cause persistent large lymph nodes. I had a ringworm infection (cross country runner) around the time I discovered the swollen lymph node. I am finally coming to realization that I may be healthy! I've actually been eating very well and working out and I have gained weight!  I was really skinny (5'9/125lb), now I am 132lb. I also bought apple cider vinegar and it taste horrible, but I am drinking a teaspoon a day! I am on the road to recovery!

[annoyingwife21]

Awesome! Yes apple cider vinegar taste HORRIBLE, my husband cannot bear to drink it. But it is a cure all for a lot of stuff! Good Luck and yes--you are healthy!