I am not sure what this means. And how do you do it. Is a palpating lymph node a good sign that it is not cancerous?

Other things I am interested in, the node that I can feel is about pea sized and hard, not sore, I am not sure what region it is in either. But over the past many years, I have had lymph nodes that were not sore but lingered a long time.

Silly questions, I know just trying to understand.

Brenda

The word is "palpate. It means to feel with fingers or instruments, to measure or press. The medical practioner does this in order to tell whether a mass is hard, soft, lumpy smooth and to measure size according to a standard of judgement. The estimates on masses are based on historical information or a range of measurement that is true to 95% of the population that is measured. Only a biopsy can tell some one whether or not a lymph node is cancerous. Size of lymph nodes is relative. I have heard of people who had massive sized lymph nodes that were not cancerous and peas sized or less lymph nodes that were extremely cancerous and would cause death easily in a matter of weeks or months. That is why it is important to have a doctor to look at something that is odd rather than trying to self diagnose. Even doctors go to other doctors for health concerns because of the need for objectivity and knowledge beyond their own insights. When one has cancer, it may not be painful at all. Other cancers are extremely painful. The pain is based on which nerve endings are involved and how much activity they have with the spine and brain which determines amount of pain felt.