Cancer of the lymph nodes comes in two basic forms. Lymphoma is a cancer that starts directly in the lymph nodes and causes an overgrowth of lymphoid cells that the body produces to fight infections. Cancer of the lymph nodes can also result from spread of tumor cells from other parts of the body. According to the book "Head and Neck Surgery - Otolaryngology" by Byron Bailey, lymph nodes filter inflammatory debris from the body and are common collection sites for spreading tumor cells.
Surgery
One of the most direct ways to treat cancer in the lymph nodes is to remove the cancerous lymph nodes surgically. Surgeons typically remove cancerous lymph nodes at the same time that they remove the primary tumor from which the cells spread to the lymph nodes. According to MayoClinic.com, however, surgery is not an effective treatment option for lymphoma.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy uses high energy radiation beams to kill rapidly dividing cells such as tumor cells. The advantage of radiation therapy is that it does not create the body deformities that are common with large surgical tumor removals. Radiation can be effective for lymphoma as well as tumors that have spread to the lymph nodes from other body sites. According to the Cleveland Clinic, physicians often combine radiation with other treatment modalities such as surgery.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a medication treatment that can be oral or intravenous, and can selectively kill tumor cells. While chemotherapy can be effective against certain types of cancer of the lymph nodes, it is usually combined with other treatments, such as surgery or radiation, according to the book "Surgery" by Josef Fischer. Because chemotherapy kills some healthy normal cells along with tumor cells, the side effects can be severe. People receiving chemotherapy often lose their hair and suffer from fatigue and severe weakness.
References
- "Head and Neck Surgery - Otolaryngology"; Byron Bailey; 2006
- Mayo Clinic: Lymphoma
- Cleveland Clinic: What is Radiation Therapy
- "Surgery"; Josef Fischer; 2006
