What Causes Lymph Node Enlargement In The Armpit?

Posted on Wed, 7 Dec 2016

Question: Thank you for checking back with me. I had surgery at a day surgery center on Friday, 10/21, to have the largest of my enlarged lymph nodes removed so it could be thoroughly checked out. My surgeon thought it would turn out to be either breast cancer or lymphoma. After a 5 day wait for the lab results, everything came back negative. The doctors decided that my lymph system was probably just fighting off an infection of some kind. We were relieved, of course, but I can still feel an enlarged node and even see it in the armpit. I've been a bit concerned and was thinking about asking you about it, like should I be concerned that it's not going away? Could the node they took out have been ok, but still be something going on with the other ones? I asked the surgeon how he knew he only needed to take one node. He said it was the largest one and it would show something if there was anything there. Should I still be concerned? Is there anything else that I should be concerned about?

Answered by Dr. Ajit Naniksingh Kukreja (8 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Get a Mammography done

Detailed Answer:
Hi

Thanks for the detailed account of your illness

1] Regarding the lymph node usually as surgeons we remove the largest lymph node and if it turns out to be negative we presume it was inflammatory but all depends on clinical correlation

To be doubly sure you may go for a mammography

2] Regarding your tail bone issue, I would suggest you get an xray done in different views and a soft tissue ultrasound of the swelling, in the mean time ice application and avoiding pressure on the affected area not only by padding but avoiding the posture which gives maximum pain will help you

Hope this helps
Do write back in case of concern

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng