Is the lump in the neck cancer? Probably everyone who has ever felt a thickening in this place asked himself this question. Meanwhile, a lump in the neck can have various causes and is not always a symptom of a serious, life-threatening disease - nevertheless, it should not be taken lightly. Where do the lumps on the neck come from, where are they most often and how to recognize them?
A lump on the neck is usually felt during washing, sometimes it is also clearly visible in the mirror. It also happens that it is noticed - or sensed by - by a partner or a loved one, or recognized by a doctor during a routine visit.
A lump in the neck doesn't always hurt. Sometimes it is just - smaller or bigger, in front of or behind the neck or on one of its sides, hard and still, or on the contrary - slightly bending and moving under the pressure of a finger.
A lump in the neck can also cause pain. And although it is more disturbing then, paradoxically it is a more favorable situation - it prompts you to visit a doctor sooner. Lumps in the neck that do not cause any unpleasant ailments are usually taken lightly, so - if their cause turns out to be serious - sometimes it is too late for treatment.
What are the causes of lumps in the neck?
Lumps in the neck may appear for a variety of reasons. The causes of lumps in the neck are divided into:
- Congenital- these include, for example, lateral cysts of the neck, middle cysts of the neck, dermal cysts, vascular and lymphatic malformations
- Inflammatory- associated with inflammation of the lymph nodes associated with viral and bacterial infections, inflammation of the submandibular gland, tuberculosis of the lymph nodes, cat scratch disease or AIDS
- Cancerous- caused by both benign neoplasms, such as atheromas, lipomas, neurofibromas or teratomas, and malignant neoplasms, e.g. neoplastic metastases to the lymph nodes.
- Other- lumps on the neck can also be a consequence of problems with the thyroid gland (goitre, thyroid adenomas), torticollis or sublingual cyst (so-called ranula, or a diving frog).
Lump in the neck - is it cancer?
Most lumps in the neck are mild. However, always during diagnosticsit is necessary to exclude a neoplastic cause, as in some cases a lump on the neck may have a neoplastic background.
Doctors suspect this primarily in the elderly and the elderly, especially long-term smokers or people who abuse alcohol, although many of them also appear in younger people.
The alarm signal in this case is a hard tumor, fused with the surrounding tissues, as well as changes in the mouth and throat, hoarseness and problems with swallowing.
It is estimated that nearly 60 percent tumors located in the so-called the supraclavicular triangle are metastases from distant primary tumors. In turn, as much as 80 percent. cancerous lesions in lymph nodes elsewhere in the neck are associated with tumors of the upper respiratory tract or the gastrointestinal tract.
A lump in the neck and thyroid problems
A lump in the front of the neck is usually associated with thyroid problems in the first place. The lump or nodules in this area are most often called thyroid adenomas.
They may be small, palpable, and appear singly or in larger clusters. Their cause is most often a history of thyroid disease, as well as a genetic predisposition or excessive exposure to ionizing radiation.
These changes are mild, but they can be bothersome and may be accompanied by discomfort, pressure, hoarseness or a change in the timbre of the voice, and when they are significant - also problems with swallowing and shortness of breath.
Lumps in the front of the neck can also be a symptom of homogeneous enlargement of the thyroid gland, non-toxic goiter, subacute thyroiditis, or thyroid cancer - therefore detailed diagnosis is always necessary.
Where do the lumps on the side of the neck come from?
Lumps on the side of the neck that you can feel under your fingers are usually enlarged lymph nodes that become enlarged as a result of inflammation in the body, such as a viral (especially infectious mononucleosis) or bacterial (e.g. angina) infection.
They can appear either during the infection (and then they are accompanied by other symptoms typical for the infection, such as fever, sore throat or cough), or after its completion. Cervical enlargement along with enlarged nodes elsewhere in the body, such as the groin, may in turn be indicative of AIDS.
Lump on the neck - which doctor should you see?
Lumps in the neck require detailed diagnostics - so if you notice or feel such a lump in you, see your GP or GP. The cause of the lump may be trivial, but only a doctor whoif necessary, he will refer you to an appropriate specialist.
What is the diagnosis of lumps in the neck?
The doctor performs a physical examination - during the examination, he assesses the location of the tumor, its size, shape and structure, determines whether it is painful and whether it moves. It also examines the appearance and condition of the skin surrounding the tumor.
The examination includes a detailed interview, during which the doctor will ask when the change is visible (or palpable), whether the appearance of the tumor was preceded by an infection, whether there are additional symptoms, such as fever, etc.
It will also examine the condition of the oral cavity - it will assess the degree of reddening of the throat, the condition of the tonsils and teeth, as well as inflammatory changes in the oral cavity. It will also ask about how the lymph nodes in other parts of the body feel and how they look.
A detailed medical history and palpation of a nodule are often enough to determine for what reasons it appeared - in this way, for example, lymphadenitis can be diagnosed, and in children - congenital cysts.
In many other cases, however, additional tests are necessary, such as an ultrasound, which allows you to assess whether it is a cyst, solid tumor or a fluid-filled tumor and to examine changes in the lymph nodes.
If the nodule is located in the supraclavicular area, radiological examination of the chest is also part of the diagnosis, as the nodules located in this area may be related to the cancer.
Sometimes a fine needle biopsy of the nodule is also necessary. Laboratory tests may also be part of the diagnosis, depending on the cause of the lump the doctor suspects.
He or she can order a morphology, a CRP test (to assess whether it is an inflammatory or neoplastic lesion), a throat swab for streptococci, a serological test for mononucleosis, cytomegaly, and in the case of chronic enlargement of lymph nodules also in cat scratch disease, toxoplasmosis or brucellosis.
Lump in the neck - treatment
How you treat a lump in your neck depends on what caused it. If it is caused by a viral disease, treatment is symptomatic, and antibiotics are given in the event of a bacterial infection.
Cysts usually require surgical removal, and nodules associated with thyroid diseases are treated by an endocrinologist. And when lumps on the neck are associated with cancer, they are treated oncologically.