Abnormal under arm lymph node

Health & Medical Surgery & Surgeons
1

Hello - wanted to see if there are others that dealed with abnormal under arm lymph nodes.

I am currently 5 month pregnant with my 4th child, and still nursing my 18-month old (to be precise, I just quit 2 days ago). About 6 weeks ago I found a lump in my breast towards my arm pit. Went to OBGYN, who sent me to the breast care center for the ultrasound (she felt that the lump was either a cyst or a lymph node, and she was pretty sure it was benign). Well, ultrasound didn't go so well - the technician scanned for a very long time, and then called radiologist in, who then scanned for a while and then told me that she was very concerned - that she was seing a lymph node that was enlarged and had abnormal characteristics, which can point to either malignancy or infection. She saw another one, that looked a bit suspicious too. Then she rushed me for a mammogram (they covered my belly to protect the baby), and for core needle biopsy of the lymph nodes. Mammogram didn't show anything new (no other messes in the breast other then these abnormal lymph nodes), but it was hard to read because of dense breast tissue. During biopsy they took few tissue samples from two lymph nodes. Then we waited for the results for 5 days, which was very-very difficult. Well, the results came back with NO CANCER, just lymph node tissue.

Obviously, this was a huge relief, but I still had to go to surgeon for follow up. He examined me and checked for other enlarged lymph nodes thruout the body (found none), and did the blood test and chest x-ray to rule out lymphoma, everything came back OK. I just saw him for another follow up month later. The stupid lymph node is still there, same size (about 1.8 cm - so less then 1 inch). Surgeon said he wants to watch it until I deliver, and then to take it out afterwards to have a closer look at it (if it doesn't decrease). When I asked whether there is still any chance it can be cancerous, he said that technically yes, but very-very unlikely based on how it feels (movable, not fixed) and negative biopsy. He thinks that I shouldn't risk surgery to remove it while pregnant and wait, he is not too concerned.

Sorry for this long story, but it was quite a ordeal for our family. I am usually not a paranoid person about my health, but I am afraid that I am turning into one. I just want this lymph node out, and to know for sure what it is. But of course I don't want to put the unborn baby thru the unnecessary risk of surgery. So far we don't know why this lymph node is enlarged, my surgeon's guess that most likely it is inflamed lymph node from some type of localized infection in the breast related to breastfeeding.

So I just wanted to see if there were others who dealed with similar issue, and what their outcome was. Thank you.

2

I actually had a very similar situation but they were not nearly as alarmed or thurough with me as they were with you. I had a lymph node in the side of my breast that swelled up during pregnancy and then became larger and worse after the baby was born and thru nursing. I stopped nursing and the lymph node stayed. Because of my family history I was sent for an ultrasound and then also a mam. They saw the lymph node was enlarged but couldn't tell why. They did some blood tests and found nothing. I did not have a biopsy or chest xray. I was told that with nursing sometimes the lymph nodes will become enlarged to protect the breasts from infection. I guess that's what the lymph nodes do in general but because it's such a close proximity to one another that the nodes can really become very large. It's a protection mechanism for our body and that's what they do. Likely your immue is down because of the current pregnancy and you're still BF so it seems to me that your body is just fighting something off so your milk ducts don't become infected/clogged. They took my case very serious because my mother had just passed from breast cancer but they told me that typically they would not have even looked into it, I guess this is common for some people. I'm happy they were so thurough with you but I thought that wasn't common. But who knows, it's a case-to-case situation. Anyhow, maybe ramp up on your vitamins and do a lot of massage in that area to help drain it. I'm not a doctor and I'm sorry you're in this situation but they did everything they can do now and it didn't show anything. I sincerely don't feel surgery during pregnancy for this would be worth it. Just give it some time. I had mine swollen for a total of probably close to 10 months before it entirely went away.

3

This just happened to my girlfriend and she did all that you did and they eneded up giving her antibiotics and boom that did the trick did you take any antibitoics yet? ask for them if not and maybe that is all it is!?
hang in there, Let go and Let God take care of you two!
Jenny

4

My aunt gets lumps in her breast all the time and had numerous tests...turns out it is her bodies way in reacting to things she eats. she cut something out of her diet and the cysts went away. I'm thinking it was milk or maybe it was artificial sweetners???? Do a google search on cysts and see what you find...she told me it is fairly common.

5

I am sorry to hear you are going through this while being pregnant. I went through something similar about a 8 months ago. I felt a strange hard lump on the side of my neck. When I went to check it out my doctor said it could either be a lymph node that was enlarged or a cyst on my thyroid. I went for all the blood work etc. but they came back negative so they sent me for an ultrasound which revealed it to be a very swollen lymph node. My doctor also took the watch and wait approach and I am happy to report it is back to being completely normal. I was told that sometimes for no reason what so ever a lymph node or group can react very aggressively and stay swollen for up to 3 months. I am not saying this is the case with you but it might be worth waiting it out and seeing if its not your body reaction to your pregnancy rather than putting your baby at risk. If you want to go and get another opinion but doctors are normally very aggressive with any form of cancer so if they are telling you to wait they must be pretty sure its benign.
Please let us know how it turns out.

6

Hi Ekaterina,

It's scary, isn't it? I had an enlarged lymph node behind my ear for almost a year, which had no apparent cause. During that time, it drove me crazy, and did end up having a CT scan, etc. etc. It eventually just went away. There's a good chance yours will, too, so please try your hardest to keep the faith and to not worry too terribly much while you are pregnant. See how it goes after the baby is here.

That said, not to alarm you, but I will mention this, too. I used to be a medical malpractice paralegal, and we once had a case where a woman had lump(s) in her very upper side of the breast, almost in the armpit. She also went through many, many tests, and everyone told her she was fine. When they FINALLY diagnosed her, it was cancer, and it was Stage 3 or 4. The difference, though, is that she also felt not herself, and was really tired, and just truly felt something was wrong, but nobody listened to her and/or they couldn't figure out what was causing the malaise. So, my point is that if you feel that anything ELSE is wrong, or you're really super tired (over and above the pregnancy), be more persistent in finding a reason and/or go to see the best specialists you can.
Again, I'm sorry to alarm you, but it's just something to keep in mind.

All the best to you and your baby and your family.

7

Hi,

I personally think they made you go through all of that for nothing!
I don't think you have cancer. Lymphnodes can enlarge. It's their way of
fighting off an infection. You must have had some kind of injury or trauma to your arm.

I had a lump in my arm pit, close to my breast. What I just wrote, is what my doctor told me about mine. The fact that the biopsy has shown nothing, confirms that you are fine. Unless your family has a history of breast cancer, please stop freaking out and concentrate on the new baby coming.

Everything is going to be ok! : )
S

8

Gosh, glad things are calmer now.
I have a lump that comes and goes under one arm. My dr. thought it was a lymph node. I have found that it can get agrivated when I shave. And when I was breastfeeding, it would get really large and sore especially when that side was overfull. My youngest is 21 months and my lump has been gone for a while. I have been taking vitamins and a probiotic, whether that has helped or if it is just being more careful shaving and no longer breast feeding/hormones I dont know. thanks for your question.

9

hello and congrats on your pregnancy and adding a boy to the mix thats exciting. I had this same issue without the complications of being pregnant. This sounds a lot like my story, but it happened to me before i had kids. I also was told i had dense breast tissue. I had an ultrasound after feeling a lump myself. they didnt think it looked cancerous but didnt know what it was so they gave me the option of taking it out or waiting. I opted to take it out, not sure if I would again but, at the time seemed like the best option. I had surgery which was done with local anthesia. it was very difficult for the surgeon to remove the lymph node he said it kept slipping so it was definitely more painful than expected and i have a high tolerance for pain. they got it out and immediately took the sample to be tested and came back and said not to worry its not cancerous. not sure of the cause. Dr. said some people have these issues throughout their lives and they never amount to anything. Lymph nodes can be enlarged from fighting off an infection, and in the area that mine was in they said it may even be from underwire bras pushing in the area under the arm pit. Not sure if I am much help here but, just know that it is probably minor and you can deal with it after baby.

10

It's ok, I wouldn't call being worried about having lymphoma when you have one of the most major symptoms of it being paranoid. My friend had a swollen node, except she wasn't as lucky, and had to undergobreast cancer surgery to get the node removed.