What Causes Swollen Lymph Nodes Under the Arm with Breast Cancer?
Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped glands throughout the body that help fight infection as part of the lymphatic system. When breast cancer spreads, one of the first places it often goes is under the arm to the lymph nodes. This can cause swollen or enlarged lymph nodes in the armpit or axilla. Understanding what this breast cancer symptom looks and feels like guides appropriate diagnosis and treatment.
The Lymphatic Systems Role
The lymphatic system transports a clear fluid called lymph, which contains white blood cells, throughout bodily tissues to filter waste. Lymph nodes act as checkpoints along the lymphatic vessels, screening lymph fluid for viruses, bacteria and other harmful substances. They contain immune cells to trap and destroy pathogens so they cannot spread illness in the body.
Lymph nodes enlarge or "swell" as more immune cells rush in to tackle detected infections or other threats. Hundreds of lymph nodes distribute throughout the body, clustered under the arms, in the chest, abdomen and groin. Each network of nodes drains lymph from surrounding tissue areas.
How Lymph Nodes Limit Breast Cancer Spread
The lymph nodes under the arm receive drainage from tissues in the breast area. Breast cancer cells can break away from the primary breast tumor and get caught in these axillary lymph nodes as lymph filters through them. The nodes attempt to fight off and contain the abnormal cancer cells to stop their spread.
When breast cancer cells multiply faster than the immune cells can handle them, they overwhelm the node, causing inflammation and swelling. Cancer that progresses beyond the axillary lymph nodes can more easily metastasize elsewhere in the body through the lymphatic highways.
Identifying Swollen Nodes in the Armpit
Knowing normal lymph node size in the armpit aids quicker diagnosis when swelling signals possible breast cancer spread. Axillary lymph nodes commonly measure up to 2 centimeters width, remaining smooth, oval-shaped and mobile rather than fixed in place.
Visible Lump Under the Arm
Enlarged lymph nodes under the arm often manifest as visibly swollen lumps in the armpit area near the breast. They protrude up as rounded bumps under the skin that stay hardened compared to surrounding tissue. Axillary lymph nodes bigger than 2 centimeters indicate abnormal swelling, especially when they continue growing larger.
Signs of Inflammation
Inflamed, swollen lymph nodes frequently cause localized armpit pain and tenderness. Redness and increased skin warmth around enlarged armpit nodes also typify inflammation underlying the swelling. In severe cases, the inflamed lump may rupture and drain fluid through the skin.
Numbness or Tingling
Very large, swollen axillary lymph nodes can potentially press on nerves traveling under the arm. This nerve compression results in numbness or tingling from the armpit down the inner arm. Pinched nerves usually subside once doctors treat the underlying infection or breast cancer to shrink the lymph nodes.
Diagnosing Swollen Axillary Lymph Nodes
If swollen armpit lymph nodes persist for over a week or keep growing larger, always get them checked out promptly by your doctor. Earlier diagnosis of enlarged axillary nodes provides critical head starts on breast cancer treatment and outlooks.
Physical Exam
Doctors first perform visual inspections and manual exams feeling under patients arms to locate swollen glands. They assess lymph node size, hardness, shape, mobility and tenderness. Your physician compares their exam findings between both armpits to help distinguish abnormal swelling possibly related to unilateral breast cancer.
Imaging Tests
If physical exams reveal worrisome axillary lymph node swelling, imaging tests further evaluate the lymph nodes. Ultrasounds use sound waves to create pictures of internal structures. Axillary node ultrasounds help measure node size and detect structural changes indicating metastatic deposits.
Armpit CT scans also visualize lymph nodes enlarged by breast cancer spreading. Contrast dye injected intravenously allows CT scans to pinpoint blood flow patterns and other anatomical changes involving cancerous lymph nodes.
Tissue Biopsy
Removing lymph node samples for laboratory analysis gives definitive diagnoses about whether swollen armpit glands contain breast cancer cells. Fine needle aspiration inserts a thin needle into the swollen nodes to draw out cells for study under a microscope. Surgical sentinel node biopsy removes one to three nodes for deeper examination.
Treating Swollen Axillary Lymph Nodes from Breast Cancer
Managing swollen armpit lymph nodes from breast cancer first targets eliminating the primary breast tumor with surgery and systemic therapies to prevent further lymph node spread. Later lymph node removal or radiation often follows to control metallic axillary disease.
Chemotherapy and Radiation
Standard chemotherapy drugs and radiation therapy work systemically to wipe out any stray cancer cells lurking in lymph nodes under the arm or elsewhere after surgery. Targeted biologic treatments may supplement chemo or radiation if genetic profiles show the breast cancer cells have certain susceptibility.
Surgical Removal
Enlarged axillary lymph nodes confirmed to contain breast cancer usually undergo surgical removal rather than observation once systemic treatments conclude. Axillary lymph node dissection removes 10-40 glands from under the arm for the highest control of armpit disease.
Lymph node surgery risks lymphedema or chronic arm swelling from fluid buildup. Precise operations removing only a few key nodes help lower this risk while still eliminating the known cancerous glands.
Further Monitoring
Periodic physical exams help monitor remaining non-cancerous armpit lymph nodes for signs of new swelling after treatment ends. Patients also monitor under their arms at home for recurring enlarged glands. Any new lymph node swelling warrants prompt re-evaluation for potential breast cancer recurrence.
FAQs
What does it mean if an armpit lymph node is swollen?
Swollen lymph nodes under the arm often indicate breast cancer has spread to the axillary nodes and caused them to enlarge. Benign swollen nodes from infections or injuries also occur but generally subside quicker than persistent cancer-related node enlargement.
How can you tell if a swollen lymph node is cancerous?
Warning signs of cancerous swollen nodes include rapid growth, hardness, lack of mobility under skin, inflammation like redness and pain, and not shrinking after several weeks. Lymph node biopsies analyzing cell samples offer definitive cancer diagnoses to guide appropriate treatment.
What is the lump above my breast and under my arm?
A new lump high on the chest near the armpit may originate from swollen lymph nodes rather than breast tissue. Axillary lymph nodes drain the breast area so their enlargement often relates to inflammatory breast cancer or metastases from a primary breast tumor.
Can swollen armpit nodes burst if left untreated?
Severely inflamed, swollen lymph nodes rarely rupture through the skin, causing persistent drainage. This condition requires emergency medical care to avoid dangerous infections. Rapid antibiotic treatment and procedures to remove cancerous nodes follow.
Is arm swelling after lymph node removal permanent?
Up to 70 percent of patients develop lymphedema following lymph node removal or radiation under the arm. Specialized physical therapy can help reduce arm swelling and hardness from fluid buildup. Wearing compression sleeves also controls symptoms long-term in many cases.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.
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