Swollen lymph nodes
When feeling your breast during a routine check-up, you will notice that your doctor will perform circular movements with his hands all over the breast from the outside to the inside, gently feel the nipple, and then go to your armpit. He’s not only looking for breast lumps but also swollen lymph nodes that usually appear near the tumor or inside the armpit.
Lymph nodes are rounded structures located all over your body. They are an essential part of your immune system, and they receive and process lymph, which collects fluids from the different tissues to analyze and create body defenses against invaders. When cancer cells become more aggressive, they become loose and start to travel to other areas. The first place they would travel to is through the lymph and into nearby lymph nodes. When this happens, the lymph node region becomes swollen and may become tender to the touch. This is also called lymphadenopathy or adenopathy by clinicians.
The most common lymph nodes affected by breast cancer are those located on the armpit. However, if you find one over there, it does not mean you have breast cancer. Several other conditions would cause the same symptom. Clear examples are breast tissue infections and even a cut or bruise in any part of your arm. Thus, it is essential to get a medical check-up to make out the difference between benign lymphadenopathy and one that’s caused by malignant tumors.
