Cancer of the lymph nodes is such a type of oncological pathology in which a malignant process appears in the lymph nodes and in general in this system.
In the human body, the protective function is mainly assigned to the lymphatic system. It is made up of lymph nodes and a branched vascular network. It is here that specific immune cells are formed - lymphocytes, which form the primary barrier when a viral or bacterial infection enters the body.
The highest concentration of lymph nodes is observed in the axillary, inguinal and cervical regions. Malignant damage to this system accounts for approximately 4% of all oncological diseases. The disease can concentrate in one or more nodes.
Varieties
It should be remembered that the term “lymph node cancer” refers to at least thirty specific types of tumor formations.
- Hodgkin's lymphoma. It accounts for about 25-35% of existing lymphomas. During the examination, it is determined by the presence in the lymph nodes of the extensive tissues of the Ridge-Berezovsky-Shtrenberg. It is also called lymphogranulomatosis.
- Non-Hodgkin lymphomas - all other types of malignant lymphomas are called that way. They account for 65-75% of the remaining cases. A diagnosis can only be made after a histological examination of all tissue samples and formation cells.
The presence of malignant cells in the lymph nodes is a fairly common complication of many oncological diseases. Symptoms of cancer of the lymph nodes in the neck are discussed below.
In almost all cases, the regional or lymphogenous location becomes the main method, after which more distant nodes are affected. This occurs when cancer cells spread throughout the body. Often, specific tumors also form in the lymph nodes.
The causes of this pathology
There are four main theories for lymph node cancer:
- excessive insolation;
- interaction with carcinogens;
- HIV, Epstein-Barr virus and human papillomas;
- systemic diseases of the human body.
Risk factors
Risk factors include the following:
- smoking (depending on the length of service, the likelihood of lymphoid pulmonary formation and thoracic duct lymphoma increases);
- occupational hazards, for example, work with mutagenic aggressive agents (herbicides) and radiation exposure;
- young (from fifteen to twenty five) and advanced age, which is very sensitive to the influence of harmful environmental factors due to the lack of stability of the defense of immunity;
- late and very difficult births can also significantly shake the homeostasis of the human body with the formation of a cancer process;
- predisposition of a genetic nature (especially in first-line relatives) to lymphoid type tumors.
Symptoms of lymph node cancer
Often patients are interested in whether the lymph nodes hurt in cancer? Unpleasant sensations, as a rule, appear only because of their increase, since it is accompanied by the bursting of fiber around them along with the receptors located in it. The inflammatory process in the lymph nodes in the presence of cancer begins when an infection is attached to it or against the background of immunodeficiency.
There are typical symptoms of lymph node cancer:
- Elevated body temperature, especially subfebrile in the evening. With progression, an increase to 39-40 °, profuse night sweat and a state of fever are also associated.
- Itching of the skin, often generalized, but itching of the chest, scalp, palms and feet also occurs.
- The feeling of bursting tissue and pressure at the location of the lymph nodes. Symptoms of lymph node cancer (pathology photos are placed in the article) are mostly quite specific.
Nonspecific complaints
With lymphomas, there are nonspecific complaints, for example:
- patient disability due to a strong feeling of weakness and weakness;
- decreased appetite;
- more frequent fungal infections and bacterial infections;
- difficulty breathing
- anemia;
- defects in the digestive tract;
- severe weight loss.
Cancer of the lymph nodes in the neck is sometimes difficult to determine. Enlarged lymph nodes become not a strictly necessary phenomenon. This is only observed in half the cases.
The complaints listed above are more universal in nature, accompany cancer, but autoimmune processes and inflammatory reactions are not excluded.
Stages of lymph node cancer
The differentiation of the four stages of the disease depends on how forceful the pathology is. At the same time, the degree of damage to areas of the lymphatic type, as well as similar organs, is noted. On this basis, diagnostics are performed.
- In the first stage of cancer of the lymph nodes, one specific area is affected (with cancer of the lymph nodes of the mammary glands or on the neck) or of one organ that is outside the boundaries of the presented system.
- Regarding the next stage, that is, cancer of the second degree, we can say that it is characterized by inflammation of the lymph nodes of two or more zones on one side of the diaphragm or organ that is outside the lymphatic system.
- With cancer of the lymph nodes of the third degree, total inflammation of the diaphragm occurs, which occurs with the defeat of one organ outside the lymphatic system or the whole area, and the spleen. In some cases, simultaneous manifestations may occur.
Fourth stage
Separately, the fourth stage should be noted. It is characterized by damage to one or more tissues outside the organs or lymphatic system. Lymph nodes may be involved in the pathological process, but may not be affected. It depends exclusively on the specific signs of the patient's body.
Diagnosed at the fourth stage, lymphoma suggests that the disease has already made its way very far. This stage, in particular, is characterized by:
- steadily increasing inflammation with the placement of bone tissue, pancreas, liver, lungs on the site, the brain can also be affected;
- accelerated progressive malignancies;
- extremely fatal formations of a cancerous nature (for example, cancer of the pancreas, lung, skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma, myeloma and other oncological forms);
- inoperable bone tumor.
That is why the probability of the patient's recovery in the fourth and even third stages is not too high compared with the first and second.
Cancer therapy
In accordance with the latest information, the treatment process of this pathology can be considered very successful. About 70-83 percent of patients are in remission for a period of five years. On average, the number of relapses ranges from 30 to 35%. It depends on the time of the start of treatment, the methods used and the age category.
The cancer process of the lymph nodes directly depends on a significant number of factors: the location of the tumor, its size, stage, satellite diseases, the presence of metastases and their specific location. In the overwhelming number of cases, the doctor combines the usual therapeutic methods (these include either one or several chemotherapeutic courses). This can be either an independent admission, or combined with radiation therapy, as well as before or after surgery.
- Chemotherapy is a universal therapeutic method for this pathology, which makes it possible to stop the tumor growth process, to a certain extent reduce its size and destroy some cancers.
- The next common method is radiation therapy. Such a course can last from several weeks to one month. Especially often, radiation therapy is prescribed to the patient after removal of the lymph nodes.
- Surgical treatment of cancer of the lymph nodes is perhaps the most effective way. It is, in essence, the total elimination of lymph nodes that are affected. To reduce the likelihood of a new appearance of pathology, simultaneously with this operation, a resection of several regional nodes is performed.
- Much more advanced therapies for lymph node cancer have also been developed, for example, bone marrow transplantation to a patient from a suitable donor. Such treatment is a guarantee of a rather optimistic prognosis, especially when contacting a doctor in the early stages. In this regard, it is necessary to pay special attention to the slightest changes in the state of health, carrying out diagnostic examinations as often as possible.
Thanks to this, it is possible to search for a malignant formation at the very moment when it will be possible to cope with it without severe damage to the patient’s state of health.
Features of the prognosis for the disease
How long can patients with a diagnosis such as lymph node cancer live? Based on long-term statistical observations, specialists have developed the International Prognostic Code, which is effective for lymphomas at any stage of malignancy.
There are 5 factors that affect patient survival:
- firstly, this is the age of patients - the younger the person, the stronger his body, respectively, he can more easily cope with pathology;
- human health status (according to WHO standards);
- degree of LDH (level in blood serum, normal or elevated);
- lesions that are found outside the lymph nodes;
- stage of the disease.
Points
If lymph node cancer occurs, the prognosis is made by the sum of the points that were obtained in each section. Conclusions about survival on average are made in a specific group of patients. For example, excellent prognostic indicators in a patient with follicular lymphoma are observed in the following condition:
- his age is 32 years;
- normal LDH level;
- first stage;
- status indicator in general - 1 point, limited ability to work.
Stage forecast
By stages, the survival forecast is approximately as follows:
- the first stage - five-year predictive survival is 82%;
- second stage - 88%;
- the third stage - 63%;
- the fourth stage is about 49%.