Lymph node metastasis

Lymph node metastasis is cancer that has spread to a lymph node.

General

• Determination of lymph node status is one of the most common indications for the examination of lymph nodes.
• It is a good idea to look at the tumour (if available) ...before looking at the LNs for mets.
• Lymph node metastasis, in the absence of other metastases, often up-stage a cancer from stage II to stage III.

Gross

• Outside:
  • "Large" - size varies by site.
    • Neck >10 mm.
  • Shape - round more suspicious than oval.
• Sectioned:
  • White firm lesion with irregular border - classic appearance.
  • Non-fatty hilum.

Microscopic

Features:

• Foreign cell population - key feature.
  • Classic location: subcapsular sinuses.
• +/-Cells with cytologic features of malignancy.
  • Nuclear pleomorphism (variation in size, shape and staining).
  • Nuclear atypia:
    • Nuclear enlargement.
    • Irregular nuclear membrane.
    • Irregular chromatin pattern, esp. asymmetry.
    • Large or irregular nucleolus.
  • Abundant mitotic figures.
• +/-Cells in architectural arrangements seen in malignancy; highly variable - dependent on tumour type and differentiation.
  • +/-Gland formation.
  • +/-Single cells.
  • +/-Small clusters of cells.

Notes:

1. Cytologic features of malignancy may not be present; some tumours, e.g. gallbladder carcinoma, do not always have overt cytologic features of malignancy.
   • The diagnosis is based on the fact that they are foreign to the lymph node and architecturally consistent with a well-differentiated malignancy.
2. Lymph node metastases in sarcomas are uncommon; they are seen in <3% of cases.
3. Fatty lymph nodes (esp. fatty hilus) are less likely to harbor metastases.

DDx - mimics of metastatic disease:

• Endometriosis.
• Ectopic decidua.
• Endosalpingiosis.
• Melanocytic nevus - intracapsular or within the trabeculae.
• Dermatopathic lymphadenopathy.^{[citation needed]}
• Sinus histiocytosis - especially for the junior resident.
• Tumour deposit (discoutinuous extramural extension) - definition dependent on primary tumour (e.g. in the head & neck they are tumour replaced lymph nodes, in the colon they are considered separate and not counted as lymph nodes).

Images

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  Breast carcinoma LN metastasis (WC)

• 

  Thyroid carcinoma LN metastasis (WC)

• 

  Colorectal carcinoma LN metastasis (WC)

• 

  Melanoma in a lymph node. (WC)

Mimics

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  Decidua in a LN - low mag. (WC)

• 

  Decidua in a LN - high mag. (WC)

• 

  Endometriosis in a LN - intermed. mag. (WC)

• 

  Endosalpingiosis in a LN - intermed. mag. (WC)

• 

  Endosalpingiosis in a LN - very high mag. (WC)

See also

• Lymph node pathology.
• Cancer.
• Cancer staging.