What should you know about melanoma and swollen lymph nodes?

Lymph nodes enlarge when immune cells respond to infection or inflammation. Common cold, tonsillitis, strep throat, glandular fever, measles, mumps, and rubella can all cause swollen glands in suitable symptom patterns. A node may be tender and appear during an infection, then gradually settle. A melanoma can spread to nearby lymph nodes, but a swollen node is not proof that this has happened. The clinician will consider a changing mole or skin mark, the node's location and texture, how long it has been present, and your wider health.

Book a GP appointment if a node persists, enlarges, feels hard or fixed, or occurs without an obvious infection. Mention any new or changing mole, bleeding or non-healing skin mark, previous melanoma, fever, night sweats, weight change, or recent illness. Do not repeatedly press the node, as this can irritate the area. Note its position, when you first noticed it, and whether it changes. A clinician may examine the skin and other lymph-node areas and decide whether observation, tests, or specialist review is appropriate.

Seek urgent help for trouble breathing or swallowing, rapidly increasing swelling in the neck, severe weakness, or confusion. Arrange prompt review for a rapidly enlarging node, a very unwell feeling, persistent fever, or a skin lesion that changes quickly, bleeds, or fails to heal. Urgency comes from these warning features, not from the mere fact that a lymph node is swollen.

What features of this node are reassuring or concerning? Could an infection explain it? Should my skin be checked for a changing lesion? How long should I monitor it, and what change should bring me back sooner?