Cancer is a social and medical threat that is very present in everyday life. It is estimated that one in two men will have a cancerous tumor before their death, while the number in women is somewhat lower, but equally worrying (one in three). In 2018, a total of 18,000,000 cases of cancer were diagnosed, 11.7% of them lung neoplasms. This type of cancer, the most widespread in the world, claimed almost two million lives in 2020.
We can go on quoting facts about cancer for hours, but we all know someone who has suffered from it or have lost a family member at the hands of it: we know its importance and risks. What is worth highlighting is that, Strange as it may seem, not all tumors are cancers nor do all cancers present with swellings For example, 80% of lumps that appear in the salivary glands are benign and 90% of visits to the gynecologist by young women worried about lumps in their breasts end in scares.
Based on this premise, we can affirm that a lump is not always associated with cancer (in many cases, the latter is one of the least likely options). Today we present to you what is a lump in the groin or inguinal swelling what are its causes and the possible treatments that can be carried out to put an end to it.
A tumor is any alteration of a tissue that causes an increase in its volume. Although we directly associate it with cancer, the swelling process is something totally normal in our body: along with pain, redness and heat, swelling is one of the typical signs of inflammatory processes.
As indicated by the Navarra University Clinic, a tumor is any swelling, lump or swelling that occurs in the body. In any case, it is usually used to designate a specific event in the context of neoplasia, that is, a rapid and disordered cell proliferation that causes excessive growth in a specific tissue.
In this case, we pay attention to the swellings that may appear in the groin. This is the part of the body where the thigh of the lower extremities joins the torso, and it has a high number of apocrine sweat glands in its tissue. In this area is the inguinal canal, a structure that contains blood and lymphatic vessels, the ilioinguinal nerve, the spermatic cord in men and the round ligament in women.
These data are not only interesting on an anatomical level, but they explain why inguinal lumps sometimes appear suddenly in the groin area for no apparent reason. Most scenarios do not correspond to cancers but rather to swollen lymph nodes, as we will see later.
The possible causes of a lump in the groin
As indicated by the United States National Library of Medicine, the majority of inguinal lumps can be grouped into the following clinical entities: cancer, leg infections, systemic infections or sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
At this point, it should be noted that we are not going to cover those superficial lumps that can arise sporadically for any innocuous reason: an insect bite, pimples, ingrown hairs, etc. We assume that these clinical entities are widely known at a general level, so we look at the most “internalized” possible formations, which are the ones that usually set off alarm bells. Do not miss it.
1. Lymphomas
lymphoma It is the most common type of circulatory cancer in the world and the third most common type of malignant neoplasm in children There are more than 35 different types of lymphomas, so focusing on the particularities of each of them is impossible. It is enough for us to know that non-Hodgkin lymphomas are the seventh most widespread tumor group, occurring in 7.7 out of every 100,000 men and 5.2 out of every 100,000 women.
A lump in the groin due to lymphoma exemplifies that lymphocytes (defensive cells of the immune system) are proliferating excessively in the lymphatic system due to mutations in their genome. Therefore, the nodes in the inguinal canal may begin to swell and become more evident, giving rise to palpable swelling in the groin area. As with other types of cancer, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and bone marrow transplant are usually the paths to follow in these cancer patients.
Due to the close contact of the lymphatic channels with the body’s tissues, It is normal for a tumor in any organ to spread first to the lymph nodes This is very common in breast cancers and, therefore, palpation and analysis of the lymph nodes adjacent to the breast are usually a good indication of the rate of primary tumor growth.
In the event that a lump in the groin corresponds to cancer in another part of the body, it should be noted that we are not talking about lymphoma. The cells that are proliferating in the lymph node are the same as those of the primary tumor, wherever it is located Therefore, we speak of secondary swelling and, here, the term “metastasis” comes into play.
3. Inguinal hernia
A hernia occurs when a tissue or organ protrudes through a weak point in the abdominal muscles The prevalence of hernias reaches up to 40% of the population at some point in their lives, especially in people between 61 and 80 years of age (almost half of the patients are in this age range).
Inguinal hernias manifest as protrusions of the intestine in the pubic/groin areas, which results in an inguinal lump that becomes more evident when the patient is upright or exerting some effort
Some have no specific causes, while others can be attributed to physical overexertion continued over time, intrinsic abdominal muscle weakness or chronic coughs. To fix a hernia, you have to undergo surgery (either laparoscopic or open).
4. Infection
In this case, we are talking about a phenomenon known as adenopathy or lymphadenopathy. Lymph nodes become swollen near body sites where an infection is occurring since here the first contacts between the pathogen antigen and the B and T lymphocytes occur, thus developing a rapid and effective immune response.
The natural proliferation of lymphocytes (and therefore enlargement of the lymph nodes) in response to an inflammatory process is completely normal during an infectious condition. The best-known lymphadenopathy is those that occur in the neck nodes due to an upper respiratory tract infection, but the inguinal nodes can also enlarge due to an infection, especially if it is sexual in nature.
For this reason, a lump in the groin can be a sign of chlamydia, gonorrhea, or genital herpes. In these cases it is necessary to resort to antibiotic or antifungal treatments, depending on the nature of the pathogen with which the host has been infected.
5. Lipomas
A lipoma is a benign soft tissue tumor This means that the growth of its cells is self-limited and they do not invade other tissues, so there is no metastatic potential. Lipomas appear in the form of fatty lumps (adipose tissue) that are located very superficially, are painless and can “move” to the touch. They are the most common type of soft tissue tumor in adults and do not require treatment, as they almost never report complications.
6. Cyst
Epidermoid cysts are small, non-cancerous superficial lumps that can appear anywhere on the body, although they are most common on the face, neck, and trunk. This lump is usually due to an atypical proliferation of keratinocytes, but like lipoma, it is a completely harmless growth that does not have to be treated, beyond aesthetic issues.
Summary
As you may have seen, there are many causes of a possible lump in the groin. If this formation appears gradually or is present since you were born, you are probably dealing with a cyst or lipoma. If, on the other hand, its appearance is sudden, it is very likely that it is due to an inflamed lymph node due to an infectious process.
In any case, we cannot forget the importance of lymphomas or the signs of metastasis that are sometimes swollen lymph nodes. The best thing is that, if you have any suspicion or appearance of an atypical lump, you go to the doctor quickly to get healthy.
