HomeAnswersMedical GastroenterologylymphadenitisWhat causes enlarged pericecal lymph nodes?

My CT shows numerous pericecal enlarged lymph nodes. Can this be colon cancer?

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The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.

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Published At October 13, 2018
Reviewed AtDecember 26, 2023

Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

I just want to start off by saying that I am a 24-year-old male. I have been diagnosed with IBS in the past, and for about a good seven months I have had stomach issues on and off. Nothing serious, no weight loss or any large amounts of blood in the stool. I had one CT scan the first time six months ago and my abdomen was fine. I did one about a month ago, and they found numerous pericecal enlarged lymph nodes measuring up to 12 mm that may represent mesenteric adenitis. I am afraid that this is stage 4 colon cancer. All my GI doctors think it is not necessary to do a colonoscopy, and that I am too young to have anything wrong with me and it is probably nothing. I did just find out that I had a grandfather who had a blockage in colon a very long time ago but received no cancer treatment for it. Should I consult a GI doctor? Are this grounds for concern?

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

See as such mesenteric lymphadenitis does not directly represent colon cancer. It is very commonly seen post infection. So what we do is that we give antibiotics for seven days and later repeat an ultrasound abdomen after one month to check for the size of lymph nodes. If size are decreasing in size we simply wait and watch. Actually, these lymph nodes if once increased in size may take weeks to months to come down to normal size.

Even you do not have any symptoms of colon cancer. However, your suspected family history should make us little concern. So I would recommend you to take a Gastroenterologist consultation and simply get a stool for occult blood done. If this test comes out to be positive then you would need a colonoscopy.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Anshul Varshney
Dr. Anshul Varshney

Internal Medicine

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