Info
Lymph node
Small structures of the immune system spread throughout the body. In oncology they are important for staging — they show whether the cancer has spread beyond its site of origin.
What it means
A small structure of the lymphatic system, involved in the body's defence. In cancer, the lymph nodes are important for staging, because they can be the route by which the disease begins to spread.
In short
Small structures of the immune system spread throughout the body. In oncology they are important for staging — they show whether the cancer has spread beyond its site of origin.
Where you will see it
Mentioned in imaging (CT, MRI, PET-CT) and histopathology. Recorded as N+ or N0 in the TNM system, or as adenopathy in imaging reports.
What it does not tell you on its own
Enlarged lymph nodes do not automatically mean metastases — they can be enlarged for other reasons too. Confirmation requires a biopsy or histopathology.
Questions for your doctor
- Are my lymph nodes involved?
- How many nodes were examined and how many are positive?
- What does this mean for the stage and treatment?
- Is a sentinel lymph node examination needed?
Related terms
The terms below often appear alongside this one. Each definition is right here, so you do not have to look elsewhere.
- Metastasis
- The spread of cancer cells from the site of origin to other organs or tissues. Metastases show that the disease has spread to distant sites and they influence the stage, the prognosis and the type of treatment recommended.
- TNM (staging system)
- The international system for classifying cancer according to three dimensions: T = the size of the primary tumor, N = the involvement of the lymph nodes, M = the presence of metastases. It is the basis for stages I–IV and determines the treatment plan.
- Histopathology
- The examination under the microscope of tissue taken by biopsy or surgery. The histopathology report describes the type of cells, the tumor grade and other details that help establish the diagnosis and treatment.
Other terms in “Diagnosis”
Glossary definitions are written for patients by the OncoDots team and go through internal medical review. They explain terms; they do not establish a diagnosis and do not recommend a treatment.