how big should node be for biop? - Lymphomas Message Board

triathlete118 · 07-27-2003, 02:11 PM

For the last 4 months I have been very sick. I get 2-3 low-grade fevers a day, fatigue, day & night sweats, swollen lymphnodes, but no weight lose, and my whole body hurts and aches. I had a ct scan done in june and my biggest swollen node in my neck is 7 mm. the surgeon said it is too small to biopt. i tested positive for having the ebv virus and cmv, but not currently infected. i also have swollen nodes in my pelvis (small)and armpit. my rbc is low but the rest of my blood work is fine. went to infectius disease dr. last week, he did nothing. they are chalking it up to some kind of virus, but my husband and i are not satisfied. i'm so tired i'm not racing or training this year (triathlon). and that is my love. please give me some advise on where to go from here, and what other blood tests i should get. I was thinking a B2M, CD5, 20, & 22. maybe even ask for a lymphangiogram. is 7mm too small to test. a big thank you for your imput. kristen

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ok, so i've done a little more research, and found that the ct was enough. the surgeon said he won't take it out, and should i go to an oncologist? i'm feeling pretty frustrated now, i know i'm sick, my virus count is high, is a 7mm node nothing to worry about? thank you again, i sure would love some responses. kristen

[This message has been edited by triathlete118 (edited 07-27-2003).]

triathlete118 · 07-27-2003, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by triathlete118:
For the last 4 months I have been very sick. I get 2-3 low-grade fevers a day, fatigue, day & night sweats, swollen lymphnodes, but no weight lose, and my whole body hurts and aches. I had a ct scan done in june and my biggest swollen node in my neck is 7 mm. the surgeon said it is too small to biopt. i tested positive for having the ebv virus and cmv, but not currently infected. i also have swollen nodes in my pelvis (small)and armpit. my rbc is low but the rest of my blood work is fine. went to infectius disease dr. last week, he did nothing. they are chalking it up to some kind of virus, but my husband and i are not satisfied. i'm so tired i'm not racing or training this year (triathlon). and that is my love. please give me some advise on where to go from here, and what other blood tests i should get. I was thinking a B2M, CD5, 20, & 22. maybe even ask for a lymphangiogram. is 7mm too small to test. a big thank you for your imput. kristen

gret · 07-27-2003, 05:36 PM

From what I have researched, anything smaller than 1.5 cm(NOT mm) is still considered normal. And it is very common to get enlarged lymph nodes with virus etc, and you sound like you are fighting something like that.

A lymph node that is swollen from infection etc, is usually tender to the touch, soft, mobile, and not huge, and eventually gets smaller, esp w/ anibiotics over a few weeks. Often there is more than one node that is swollen too.

A lymph node that is more worrying is larger, esp over 3 cm, often only in one area, fixed, firm or hard, and non-tender, and doesn't go away or get smaller. My lymph node is all of those things, and also over 5 cm. Still, I am hopeful that my biopsy results will be good. If not, my full body CT scans show that I am clear everywhere else, so at least it would not have spread.

Good Luck!

beccasue · 09-13-2003, 09:41 AM

I am quite concerned myself. I have what I think are swollen lymph nodes or nodules in different areas of my body. One tiny one above my collar bone, one to the left side of my belly button, one on my forearm, and one on my calf muscle. They are very small, much smaller than 1.5 cm. I am very worried as I was doing some research on the computer and am worried that I may have some sort of lymphoma. Should I worry? Any opinions, research?