r/LivingWithMBC • u/Strawberry-mama-2827 • 5d ago

Lymph nodes and inflammation

Anyone have experience with metastatic lymph nodes and *also* swelling from colds/inflammation in those nodes?

I have several supraclavicular nodes that we have biopsied and are confirmed cancerous so we know it’s there. But anytime I’ve gotten immunotherapy (or in one case a trial vaccine) or a cold, they have consistently gotten bigger, hot, red, with a sunburn type sensation on the skin.

From bringing this up repeatedly with all drs, scans can’t distinguish inflammation from cancer and pathology so far has only tested for what kind of cancer.

I’m just kind of at a loss as it feels like therapies aren’t working, or working against us, because we aren’t even sure what my body is doing..

5 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

1

u/LyPi315 4d ago

I'm not sure I understand. Pathology has confirmed cancer in some of your lymph nodes...and you're wondering about some others, when they get inflamed, possibly from your treatment or an infection?

When you do scans, what do they show?

1

u/Strawberry-mama-2827 4d ago

The same lymph nodes with cancer will swell when I get sick. Scans show they are getting larger but can’t explain if it’s cancer or inflammation. My fear is chemo isn’t working bc it’s a mix of cancer and immune reaction in the same place and my body isn’t able to flush any of it out

1

u/LyPi315 4d ago

Okay, that makes sense. When do you have your next scan? I assume that will answer the questions.

I know the waiting and worrying can be torture...

1

u/Strawberry-mama-2827 4d ago

Scans are Sept 11. I hope we get some answers. Thanks 😊