Found Lymph Node In Groin. Should I Be Worried? Should I Need It Biopsied?

Posted on Mon, 10 Jun 2013

Question: Hello. A month ago I accidently found a lymph node in my groin. A few days later I found out I had a bad UTI which required two rounds of antibiotics. I wento to see my physician, who is a member of my family to check the node. He felt it and said he thought it was fine, and may be calcified, but didn't seem worried. I also just had my yearly blood work done two weeks before I found the node and it all came back normal. The blood work I had done was CBC and the other test to check calcium level, BUN but I didn't have my liver enzymes checked. Because I asked him about not having my liver enzymes checked and because I am family, he had me have an ultrasound this week. The ultrasond measured my liver, which was normal size, looked at my kidney's, female organs all which were ok. The ultrasound also looked at my lymph node and she said it was a normal size, around 1 cm and didn't look abnormal. It has not grown in size over the past month, but it doesn't seem to move much. I have no idea how much it should move, but again my brother in-law who is in XXXXXXX medicine did check it. Should I be worried? Since my blood work and ultra sound were ok, is this a good sign? Should I be worried that I need it biopsied? I have lost weight in the past 6 months due to stress of a divorce, maybe that is why I am now noticing it. Thank you!

Answered by Dr. Shoaib Khan (6 hours later)

Hello ma'am and welcome to XXXXXXX

Thank you for writing to us.

I understand you are concerned, especially as a swollen lymph node can be a sign of many different conditions, some serious, and some even normal. Let me start of by listing the most common causes:
-Viral infections
-Sometimes in women before or during their period, dissapears after
-Bacterial infections
-Side-effects of medication (eg. phenytoin)
-Sexually transmitted diseases
-Infections which can attack the immune system causing swelling of lymph nodes
-Cancer

As you can see ma'am, the causes vary. I do not doubt that you are in safe hands, with so many doctor's in your family, who have investigated the node. I am even more convinced because your routine blood tests and ultrasound returned normal, this is indeed good news.

But, you can never be too sure. I would advice you to wait and watch for any changes in this lymph node, and if you feel it has increased in size or not disappeared with time, then get an ultrasound (a repeat) in 1-2 months time, and check the size. If it has indeed changed in size, or even if it is still present after this duration, then a biopsy wouldn't hurt. Just so we are sure this is nothing serious. But I am sure this is nothing serious, and you are and always will be perfectly fine.

I hope this information helps. Do write back to for any further clarifications. I would be more than happy to help.

Take care.

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

Follow up: Dr. Shoaib Khan (7 minutes later)

I was told sometimes lymph nodes never go down, and since mine was a normal size, I might just be able to feel it because I have very little fat over it. If it stays the same size in 1-2 months, you would still biopsy?

Answered by Dr. Shoaib Khan (36 minutes later)

Hello once again ma'am.

Yes ma'am, it is true that some lymph nodes do not go down, but there is usually an explanation even for that (eg. Hormonal effect, etc.). So if there is a valid and plausible explanation for the swelling of the lymph node to remain, then I wouldn't get a biopsy. But if there is no such explanation, then it is of no harm to get a biopsy and be safe.

I hope this helped ma'am. Wishing you great health.

Take care.

Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.

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