Chapter 95: Lymphadenitis and lymphangitis. Anatomy, head and neck, supraclavicular lymph node. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. We link primary sources - including studies, scientific references, and statistics - within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. In a 2019 study, of the 1,075 people who underwent an endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) to diagnose swollen chest lymph nodes, cancer was the most common reason for the swollen chest lymph nodes, with 61.6% having some form of this disease. Other causes: Other serious health issues, such as heart failure or interstitial lung disease, can sometimes cause swollen chest lymph nodes.However, mononucleosis, a viral infection, rarely causes the lymph nodes in the chest to swell. Examples include bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic infections, such as pneumonia, HIV, histoplasmosis, and toxoplasmosis, respectively. Other infections: Other infections, especially those that affect the lungs, may cause swollen lymph nodes.Tuberculosis: Tuberculosis is a serious infection that affects the lungs and may spread elsewhere in the body.A 2019 study found that it was one of the most common noncancerous reasons for swollen lymph nodes in the chest. Sarcoidosis: Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease that can damage the lungs.It can affect lymph nodes anywhere in the body and may begin in the chest or spread to the chest from other lymph nodes. Lymphoma: Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymph nodes.Lung cancer: Swelling in the lymph nodes surrounding the lungs and in the chest may mean that a person has lung cancer or that lung cancer is spreading to other areas of the body.Swollen lymph nodes in the chest often mean a person has a serious underlying medical condition. The site of the swelling often provides clues to the source of the problem.įor example, a person with a swollen lymph node in the neck might have a tooth abscess or strep throat. Swollen lymph nodes may occur in a single location or throughout the body. They can also swell for no apparent reason, either because of chronic health issues or due to lymph node diseases, such as Kikuchi disease.

These small nodes sometimes swell when the body is filtering out something harmful. It includes a network of vessels, similar to blood vessels, connecting the many different lymph nodes. The lymphatic system is part of the immune system, and it helps filter out harmful materials, such as infections or cancer cells. Share on Pinterest Lucas Ottone/Getty Images

Lymph nodes on back of neck