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16 Year Old Has Enlarged Lymphnode. Sonogram Came Abnormal. Should I Go For Biopsy?

Posted on Sat, 28 Jul 2012

Question: My 16 year old has an enlarged lymphnode which I had tested and the sonogram came back abnormal and the Dr. is now ordering a biopsy, this was last Mon they told us to have it done. My daughter is in CA. with her father and he is not seeing this as a serious matter, and is refusing to do the biopsy, she doesn't come home for 3 weeks. I can't sleep, think or function, can you please tell me what I should do in this matter?

Answered by Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (1 hour later)

Hello

Thanks for the query

I would like to know more about the condition in order to come to a better conclusion

1. Is she having any symptoms like fever, loss of weight, pain in the lymph node?
2. Which lymph node is enlarged?
3. Could you please attach/type out the ultra sound report

I would like to add here that infections are the most common reasons for lymph node enlargement and need not always be related to cancer, I understand your concern as her grand mother had melanonma.

Please get back to me, I am awaiting your reply

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (1 hour later)

She has not had any fevers, she gets allergies from time to time (sneezing,coughing,etc.) and recently she has had headaches, but not with a fever, the bump is on the right side of her neck near her ear. I do not have the ultrasound report, the Dr. Said it was "abnormal" he then said he was ordering a biopsy to figure out why it was abnormal, but her Father is refusing to get this biopsy done. He is in CA I am in AZ. So I want to know if I need to go down to the courts to get sn ememergency hearing to get her home to get this done.

You should also know, she had this last year in Sept. That Dr just touched it and said "its nothing" and gave her antibiotics and it went away, but it came back again at the beginning of XXXXXXX which is when I took her my Dr. which is when I got these results above. Im very panicked and cannot get her father to communicate with me, all I do know is he will get this biopsy done and I need to know if it can wait?

Answered by Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (52 minutes later)

Hello

I should add at this point that a cervical (neck) lymph node is considered significant only if it is above 1cm in diameter. The fact that that pervious enlarged lymph node went away with anti biotics signifies that it was an infection which had caused the enlargement.
I don't know what kind of abnormality was found on the ultra sound but since the doctor has asked for a biopsy it is always better to get it done and not post pone it further.

Thank you

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (4 minutes later)

So 3 weeks would be too long to wait?

Answered by Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (52 minutes later)

Hello

If the doctor has asked for a biopsy then 3 weeks is too long. Disease activity might either increase or decrease. If it decreases you might never know what was causing the lymph node enlargement

Thank you

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar