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Lymph
Glands
Lymph glands or
lymph nodes are the most important components of the immune system. It is within these
glands that immune cells, lymphocytes, exist. These glands are spread throughout the body,
with some concentration in the following areas:
These nodes are the
primary sites of barrier to the spread of illnesses, such as infections, cancers, etc.
Most commonly, when a disease spreads to a lymph gland, it causes a reaction and
enlargement of the gland. Any enlarged lymph gland indicates a problem.
When
infections spread to these glands, the reaction and enlargement is rather
rapid, a matter of days, and is accompanied by pain. A painful gland normally indicates
infection.
When
cancers spread to these glands, the reaction is gradual and normally pain-free.
Once suspected of
harboring cancer, the lymph node must be biopsied and be
evaluated by a Pathologist. First step in biopsying the abnormal
and enlarged nodes is to perform a fine needle aspiration (FNA)
biopsy . If the results of FNA is non conclusive the lymph node must be removed
surgically and be properly studied. Core biopsies of lymph nodes
may also provide additional information, avoiding a surgical biopsy.
Sentinel node sampling and biopsy may identify the first-draining lymph node in melanoma and breast cancer and possibly
in other cancers. Sampling of this node is felt to be indicative of the spread of
tumor to regional nodes. If this node does not harbor any cancer cells, the odds are
that the cancer has not spread to other nodes.
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