Ive just today come back from the doctors after having an ultrasound down on a lump in my arm. The doctor told me that the lump is a lymphoma but that its not cancerous and never will be. Can they actually know that for sure from just an ultrasound or should I be seeking a different opinion?

Hi! Where is this lump? Lymph nodes can swell for a number of reasons, most commonly when we are fighting some sort of infection as they are part our immune system. I would say it confuses me that they have come to that conclusion after only an ultrasound. Have you had any other tests at all such as a blood test or other scans? I had an ultrasound early on but it took them several more tests to decide what it was.

I would keep an eye out for other things, have you lost any weight recently, been sleeping more, sweating at night, getting more colds and feeling run down, and also just keep doing self examinations under your arm pits and around your neck. If you have or develop any of those I’d go for a second opinion. I’m not where you are or if you pay for healthcare, but it was a procedure called a Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) that showed my doctor’s that my lump was cancerous, if you wanted to look into one of those. (After the FNA they still needed to do a full biopsy to determine type of cancer)

I hope you get reassurance soon and that your doctor is right and that it’s nothing to worry about!