What are swollen lymph nodes?

Enlarged glands: Lymph nodes are there to help fight off certain disorders. For example, when someone has an infection, it is not uncommon to have enlarged nodes. They can also be enlarged with cancer as a way to drain the site of disease. If a cancer spreads, for example breast cancer, the first place it typically goes is the nodes. They are there to try and protect us. Hope this helps.

Monitoring Centers: Lymphatic system absorbs/carries things too big to go into the arteries/veins like bacteria eaten by white cells/digested food. Lymph nodes "taste" the lymph everywhere for bad stuff like bacteria/viruses/cancers, etc. When it detects a problem, it alerts the immune system and your body reacts. They enlarge in response to the inflammation they create when they react. They shrink when all is well.