Answer:
Harder lumps can represent malignant pathology. If associated with symptoms of a change in voice, pain on swallowing, difficulty swallowing or earache and there is an association with smoking then this requires urgent investigation. Occasionally inflammatory lumps can present this way too, however, I retain a higher level of suspicion in the situation of a hard lump in the neck.
To read more about neck lumps, please see the following articles by Mr Francis Vaz.