Question: I am 34 years old. I have health anxiety along with acid reflux. I’ve been smoking and drinking since 19. I recently quote drinking a month ago. I usually drank about 6 beers a day roughly 3-5 times a week. As, far as smoking it was usually a pick a day. I quite in total of smoking on and off for about 2-3 years so all and all I’ve been smoking for about 11-12 years. Recently, I have a bad cough and runny nose along with a headache. When I coughed my whole chest hurt, it felt like the flue minus the fever, I never had a fever. It last about 4 days and for the past two days I feel better but I do still have a slight cough and my nose still feels a bit stuffy. I have no other symptoms no fever, no night sweats, no chills and no weight loss. Being that I have health anxiety I’m always feeling about my body for bumps or lymph nodes. So two days ago I felt on top of my right collarbone a very small pea shape (lymph node) at least that is what I XXXXXXX be it is. It’s very small the size of a pea if not a tad bit smaller, it’s soft, rubbery, moveable and it’s tender (painful) when I press or play with it. I’m wondering what this can mean. Since, I have health anxiety I’m always reading things online and usually online it’s always bad news for everything you type in. I’m wondering can that area swoll from an infection or in your opinion with everything I’ve told you along with my age can this be cancer? Not saying that you are at all but I’m not looking for a generic answer I’m emote looking for an honest educated opinion. If you were me would you be worried?

I know you are a cancer doctor so you have the knowledge. I know a lymph node being cancer is rare just want your opinion