![]() The overall evaluation of lymphadenopathy, with a focus on findings suggestive of malignancy, as well as an approach to the patient with unexplained lymphadenopathy, will be reviewed. While modern hematopathologic technologies have improved the diagnostic yields of fine-needle aspiration, excisional biopsy remains the initial diagnostic procedure of choice. The risk of lymphedema increases with the number of lymph nodes and lymph vessels removed or damaged during cancer treatment or biopsies. Unexplained lymphadenopathy without signs or symptoms of serious disease or malignancy can be observed for one month, after which specific testing or biopsy should be performed. In addition, a complete exposure history, review of associated symptoms, and a thorough regional examination help determine whether lymphadenopathy is of benign or malignant origin. Knowledge of these risk factors is critical to determining the management of unexplained lymphadenopathy. Your doctor checks for swollen lymph nodes, including in your neck, underarm and groin, as well as a swollen spleen or liver. ![]() Key risk factors for malignancy include older age, firm, fixed nodal character, duration of greater than two weeks, and supraclavicular location. Tests and procedures used to diagnose lymphoma include: Physical exam. In rare situations, swollen lymph nodes can point to cancer specifically, lymphoma (cancer of the lymphatic system). Most of the time about 63 of cases the nodes were evaluated. The critical challenge for the primary care physician is to identify which cases are secondary to malignancies or other serious conditions. All had tumors that were no bigger than 5 centimeters and only one or two sentinel lymph nodes with evidence of cancer. The operation to remove lymph nodes is called axillary surgery. Among primary care patients presenting with lymphadenopathy, the prevalence of malignancy has been estimated to be as low as 1.1 percent. Removing some or all of these lymph nodes helps your doctor to check for any cancer spread. But cancer cells can also spread from another part of the body to lymph nodes, usually the ones that are closest to the primary tumor. The majority of patients presenting with peripheral lymphadenopathy have easily identifiable causes that are benign or self-limited. Lymphoma is a type of cancer that starts in the lymph nodes.
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