What can mean swollen lymph nodes in the groin area?

Several things: A few small nodes (less than 1 cm) are not uncommon in the groins. These are usually due to injury or infection and are usually harmless. However, if your groin nodes seem getting larger over times, you should check with your doctor since besides infection, many cancers can cause this. Some examples are lymphoma, melanoma, or testicular cancer (in men), or cervical cancer (in women).