Neck Masses & Lymph Node Biopsy
Neck masses are swellings or lumps that appear in the neck. They may arise from lymph nodes, thyroid, salivary glands, infections, cysts, or tumors—both benign and malignant. Persistent lumps need specialist evaluation.
No. Most swollen lymph nodes are caused by infections or inflammation. However, painless, hard, or long-lasting nodes may indicate lymphoma or metastatic cancer. A biopsy helps confirm the exact cause.
Red flags include a lump lasting more than 2–3 weeks, rapid growth, pain, fever, night sweats, unexplained weight loss, voice change, swallowing difficulty, or facial/neck numbness. These require expert medical assessment.
Diagnosis involves clinical examination, blood tests, ultrasound, CT/MRI imaging, and biopsy procedures like FNA or core needle biopsy. ENT or head-neck endoscopy may be used to search for hidden primary tumors.
A lymph node biopsy removes cells or tissue from the lymph nodes to check for cancer, infection, or immune-related diseases. It provides a definitive diagnosis when imaging or symptoms are suspicious or unclear.
The most common first step is ultrasound-guided Fine-Needle Aspiration (FNA). If required, a core-needle biopsy or an excisional (small-surgery) biopsy may be performed by experienced head and neck surgeons.
Yes. FNA is a minimally invasive, low-risk, high-accuracy diagnostic test. It causes minimal discomfort and avoids major surgery in most cases. It’s routinely performed under ultrasound guidance at advanced cancer centers.
Rare risks include infection, mild bleeding, nerve irritation (if close to nerves), or the need for repeat biopsy if results are inconclusive. These are minimized when performed by expert head-neck oncologists.
When done in experienced centers with imaging guidance, FNA and core biopsies have high diagnostic reliability for detecting lymphoma, metastasis, or primary neck cancers and guide further treatment planning.
Yes. Biopsy pathology can identify whether the mass is reactive, benign, lymphoma, or metastatic cancer. Additional tests like immunohistochemistry may be added to confirm cancer sub-types and grade.
Yes. Diagnostic imaging like ultrasound or CT/MRI is often recommended before biopsy to map the mass, check lymph-node spread, and ensure safe, targeted sampling for maximum accuracy.
FNA and core biopsies require no hospital stay and heal within 24–72 hours. Excisional biopsy swelling may take 1–2 weeks to settle. Follow-up ensures proper healing and interpretation.
If cancer is confirmed, further staging, PET-CT imaging, ENT endoscopy, and multidisciplinary tumor board planning guide treatments such as neck dissection surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy when eligible.
Board-trained head and neck surgical oncologists like those practicing in high-volume cancer centers provide biopsy-driven care, nerve safety protocols, and treatment pathways for neck tumors.