Hello and thank you for your post.

To answer your question - Cancer in lymph nodes can spread to other lymph nodes and organs. However having enlarged lymph nodes does not mean definitely there is cancer in them, in fact most enlarged lymph nodes will not have cancer in them.

I think you should be reassured that your doctor couldn't feel the nodes you have been worried about. Remember that doctors are medically trained and qualified in examining lymph nodes and will know if there is anything concerning.

If a doctor is concerned they may ask the patient to have a blood test and a ultrasound scan but there has to be a clinical reason to do these tests. 

I am not sure in what way you were unwell, but lymph nodes can increase in size because of infection and can stay bigger than normal after the infection has gone, for a few weeks.  

The best thing to do now is to stop touching and prodding (if you are)  the area you are worried about, as this can aggravate the lymph node and this may make it bigger.  You may then want to see how you are in a couple of weeks and if you are still concerned make another GP appointment.

Take care,

Caroline

In my personal situation, the lymph node under my jaw was catching the cancer cells from my sinus. It also prevented it from spreading further down. The lymph node did the job it was designed to do. Mine was far bigger than pea sized. Before treatment it was probably 4" long. Since treatment it has reduced greatly. I'm hoping this is because treatment has worked and my body has tidied up the mess. 

Are they still there please? Thank you 

Hi, please could I ask if they could tell the lymph node contained cancer from an ultrasound if you had one? Thank you