Not exactly...: Lymph nodes (ln) are designed to trap anything that is "foreign" to our body such as cancer cells. We remove them to stage cancers; if cancer cells spread from the organ it originated in into the ln, we can assume that there are also cancer cells "elsewhere", ie, liver, lungs, bone, etc. Thankfully, chemotherapy can often often kill these cells before they take over these other organs.
Answered 6/24/2015
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No, don't worry: This is a common fear-- that the needle used to biopsy lymph nodes might cause cells to escape and the cancer to spread. The only cancer where this is a concern is called a "sarcoma". For any other cancer, it has been proven that biopsy does not cause cancer to spread. A lymph node biopsy is important for your doctor to select the right treatment!
Answered 6/24/2015
6.1k views
No: tumors that metastasize from the primary express specific surface glycoproteins that define where the tumor will implant. A seed and soil concept so that tumors that spread to liver will grow within that organ but not spread elsewhere. Tumors that spread to lymph nodes can progress within the regional lymph node system, that is axilla, groin etc. but will not enter blood stream to spread further
Answered 6/24/2015
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