Swollen lymph node in neck & on hand should I panic?
 

Has anyone experienced pain in the hand or swollen lymph in the neck? I've been having pain for about two weeks. I can make a fist, but cannot flex my hand. There is a small lump on the top of my hand near my wrist. About a week ago I noticed a lump on the side of my neck that seems to swell and then it goes down. I went to see my Onc last week and she gave me an antibiotic, Cephalexin, but after 5 days there is no change. I go in for Herceptin on Friday and may be able to speak with the doc, but I'm super nervous and just wondering if anyone has experienced something similar.

Save yourself worry by informing yourself
 

Swollen lymph nodes can be a sign of an infection. DO you have a sore throat, runny nose, sinus infection, ear ache, infected tooth or gums. Are the lymph nodes on the same side as your breast cancer? Are no other lymph nodes enlarged anywhere else (including the other side of your neck)? Is the lymph node tender (usually with an infection, but not always)

Breast cancer virtually never metastasizes beyond the wrist or ankles. A firm(not stony hard) lump on the back of your wrist is a "ganglion cyst" until proven otherwise. Does it get bigger and or smaller. A "ganglion" is a hernia of the wrist joint, where the lining of the joint has a weak, thin part of its wall. When the joint is irritated it makes extra fluid and the extra fluid bulges out through the weak point in that joint lining wall.

In olden days people hit their ganglions with a Bible to burst them. Nowadays, when they need treatment (they often don't) they get aspirated (fluid drawn off from them) and injected. Rarely do they get operated on (and they can come back after surgery). The ratio of ganglions on the wrist to breast cancer mets of the wrist (even when only looking at the population of breast cancer patients) is probably about 10,000 to 1.

I am not an oncologist, but hope this information will put your mind at ease until you see someone.

Swollen lymph node on hand and neck
 

Thank you so much for replying.
I do not have a sore throat, runny nose, sore gum or any other problem. The swelling is on the opposite side of my bc site. The swelling does not hurt, but does feel mushy. I don't think there are any other swollen lumps on my body.
The swelling does change in size on my neck, but the hand remains pretty much the same.

From what I understand if the lymph node in your necks gets smaller as well as bigger it would be very unlikely that it was a metastasis. It would most likely only get bigger. As makes sense, lymph nodes reacting to an infection might get bigger and smaller as the infection waxed and waneds. You might have an infected tooth without knowing it ie, infection not yet extensive enough to cause you symptoms and yet the body would sense it and try to deal with it.

Ganglions can stay the same size for long periods of time.

Hope your doctor checks you out soon so you can get some peace of mind.

Thank you so much for your comments. It is a relief to think it might be something besides a recurrence. I hope the antibiotic works. So far the pain and discomfort seem to worsen by the day.

Do you have a port? Or do they put the iv in your hand? Mine goes in my hand and I developed a lump after the one treatment. When I called they told me that it had infiltrated and built up there. It hurt to use my hand at all for about two weeks. The swollen lymph nodes could have something to do with that as well if maybe that's on the same side as the lump in your hand.

I have a port in my chest. I did recieve one chemo treatment in my hand, but that was two years ago.

I have had a ganglion cyst on my right wrist for about 5 years. It is achy when i flex my wrist and I cannot put a lot of pressure on that hand (like push ups). I hope yours turns out to be a cyst as well. I was actually meaning to get it drained about the time when I was dx'ed. It is a pain and makes yoga/pilates difficult, but other than that it is a walk in the park compared to the rest of the stuff we deal with.

I hope it all turns out fine for you.
Patricia

Hi Patricia,

I just saw another doctor and it is not a cyst. I've seen two doctors and neither one has an answer. I have a bone scan today and am hoping it's not going to be bad news.

lump
 

I have never heard of bone mets appearing on the hands. So try not to worry too much. I know it's hard but the lump you have is unlikely to be spread of bc. I would be most surprised if it was, due to its position. Hope your scan went okay.

love
Taffy

Taffy,

I hope you're right, but it is worrisome that two doctors have told me that they don't have a clue to what the problem is. I had a bone scan this morning and my wrist was glowing....

Sue

Sue
Your wrist will be glowing if there is any inflammation there, hopefully it is nothing to worry about. When will you get the results?
Keeping you in my thoughts
Sheila

Sheila,

Thank you so much for your comforting comments. I'm not sure when the doctor will call, but hoping I don't have to wait too long.