When we feel that there is a lump in the superficial lymph nodes, how can we tell whether it is due to inflammation and other reasons caused by lymphadenopathy, or it may be a tumor?
The first step is very important is the doctor's palpation, experienced doctors can roughly judge the nature of the lump by touch, and the touch of different nature of the lump is different.
If the texture of the lump is very soft, it feels like lips and is relatively flat, often due to inflammation.
If the lump feels round, spherical, and has a tough texture that feels similar to touching our nose, it is necessary to be alert to malignant tumors of the lymphatic system.
If the lump is fixed, very large to the touch, and hard as touching the forehead, it may be a lymph node metastatic cancer that has metastasized from other tumors.
Of course, only through the touch can not really judge the nature of the mass, if suspected is a tumor and other diseases, the second step is to pass imaging tests, such as ultrasound, CT examination, to see if the structure of the lymph nodes has been destroyed, blood flow is abnormal and so on.
If the first and second steps of examination indicate not very good results, the third step, that is, the biopsy is taken for pathological examination, to make a final diagnosis.
References: Medical Microvision "Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma" - What tests are needed to diagnose non-Hodgkin lymphoma?
Speaker: Song Yuqin, Chief Physician- Assistant Dean, Department of LymphomaLogy, Peking University Cancer Hospital, Secretary General of the Anti-Lymphoma Expert Committee of the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO).