Post Hodgkin's, swollen lymph nodes?

Question

My husband is four years post Hodgkin's Lymphoma. He completed 12 rounds of chemo and 22 radiation treatments, and is in remission. The chemo damaged some heart muscle and he has developed an arrythmia for which he takes a daily beta blocker. His last two CAT scans, six months apart, have revealed two swollen lymph nodes. His white blood count is normal, however; his red blood count is unusually high (he takes a baby aspirin for that). What are some possible explanations for the two swollen nodes? Could the cancer be recurring?

Answer 1

I'm a Hodgkin's survivor. I was diagnosed in September of last year. I did 6 rounds (12 doses) of ABVD, then three doses of salvage chemo (I didn't get into remission with basic chemo) and then it was followed up with high dose chemo and a stem cell transplant. I'm not 7 months in remission and out of transplant.

I've had several swollen nodes in my neck, where my initial tumor was. It scared me but there has been no uptake in any of my PET scans. I can definitely sympathize with your predicament.

Hodgkin's disease is a very orderly disease. It doesn't just jump around in the body. It goes from one node to the next and it moves fast. If these nodes have been swollen for six months and no others are affected it is very unlikely that the swelling is from cancer.

Has your husband experienced any Hodgkin's symptoms? Night sweats, unexplained fever, fatigue, uncontrollably itchy skin...etc?

If the two of you are truly worried, I would request to have a PET scan done, to make sure there is no uptake in the swollen nodes. My doctors have noticed swollen nodes on me as well, but none have lit up on the scans, so they're likely still trying to return to their normal fuction. Any time the body gets an infection (even a slight one) lymph nodes can swell up. For people who have had cancer and tumors in their lymph nodes it can take years before everything gets back to normal.

Best of luck to you

Answer 2

Were the lymph nodes swollen on the first CT scan, and unchanged 6 months later? Usually a recurrence would show worsening disease after 6 months. I would think more likely a benign explanation for that. Remember, once you've had chemo/radiation you are more likely to have scarring/inflammation in lymph nodes as well. If they are superficial, he could have FNA just to ease his mind. Otherwise, probably watch and wait is fine.

Answer 3

It could be heriditary Hodgkins lymphoma, but the simpler answers are more often right. You may well have a focal infection, might even be a part of a salivary gland that gets blocked periodically by a stone if the swelling and discomfort is worse after a meal. Night sweats are worrying. Viral and Tick-borne diseases must also be ruled out before thinking about cancer. Go back to the doctors and politely ask for an X-Ray and scan of that area

Answer 4

I sure am not an authority but can tell you what my Dr. recently told me. I had a kidney stone and the Lymph Nodes are a filtering sytstem for infections so with this came an infection and with that the Lymph Nodes became swollen filtering out the infection. End of Story.