Testicular cancer - What is my lymphatic system?

Testicular cancer

What is my lymphatic system?

Your lymphatic system is a network of tiny vessels in your body. Just as blood vessels carry blood, lymph vessels carry lymph. Lymph is a fluid that seeps out of the network of tiny blood vessels that run deep in the tissues of your body. Lymph fluid:

Carries waste products around your body
Carries cells that are part of your

immune system
The immune system is made up of the parts of the body that are devoted to fighting infection. The body is constantly being threatened by infections from things like bacteria, viruses and parasites. The immune system fights these infections in different ways. At the microscopic level, the immune system uses antibodies and white blood cells, which travel in the blood and target infectious agents, such as bacteria. These microscopic parts of the immune system either kill the infectious agent directly, or take it to other parts of the body, like the spleen, where it can be dealt with. The lymph nodes are another important part of the immune system. Within them, white blood cells filter through the foreign material that has entered the blood, to see if there are any infections. When you have a swollen gland during a cold, this is actually a lymph node that is reacting to the infection. Unfortunately, it is possible for the immune system to become confused and to use its destructive powers to target healthy parts of the body. Diseases that result from this type of situation are called autoimmune diseases.

immune system and help fight infections
Contains protein.

Your lymph vessels take the fluid to your

lymph nodes
Lymph nodes (also called glands) are small, bean-shaped lumps that you cannot usually see or easily feel. They are located in various parts of the body, such as the neck, armpit and groin. Lymph nodes filter the lymph fluid and remove unusual things, such as bacteria and cancer cells.

lymph nodes (also called lymph glands). Lymph vessels are very thin. You can't usually see them.

Lymph nodes are part of your immune system, which helps your body fight disease. They're small collections of cells and are found all over your body. Among other places, you have them in your groin, the backs of your knees and under your chin. They're small, and round or oval-shaped. You can't usually feel them unless you're very thin or you have an infection that's made them swollen. You've probably felt the lymph glands on your neck swell up when you have a throat infection, for example.

If you have testicular cancer, cancer cells may be picked up by your lymphatic fluid and carried to lymph nodes in other parts of your body. The first place lymph vessels in your testicles carry fluid to is a collection of lymph nodes in your abdomen.

Source:
Bosl GJ, Sheinfeld J, Bajorin DF, et al.
Chaper 35: cancer of the testis.
In: DeVita VT, Hellman S, Rosenberg SA (editors). Cancer: principles and practice of oncology. 6th edition. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia, U.S.A.; 2001.

¹ These nodes sit behind your bowels, just in front of your spine. You may hear them called the retroperitoneal lymph nodes or the para-aortic lymph nodes.

If cancer cells reach a lymph node, they may die, start growing, or travel on through your lymph vessels to other parts of your body.

The treatment you have for testicular cancer will depend on whether cancer cells have spread to your lymph nodes. You may have

radiation therapy
This treatment uses high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells. It's most often used for tumors that are hard to treat with surgery alone. You won't feel any pain during this treatment, but you may get some side effects afterward.

radiation therapy or

chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the use of chemicals or drugs to treat or prevent disease, usually cancer.

chemotherapy to kill any cancer cells that have spread. Or you may have an operation to remove them.

Source:
Jonker-Pool G, Hoekstra HJ, van Imhoff GW et al.
Male sexuality after cancer treatment - needs for information and support: testicular cancer compared to malignant lymphoma.
Patient Education and Counselling. 2004; 52: 143-50.

Sources for the information on this page:

Bosl GJ, Sheinfeld J, Bajorin DF, et al.Chaper 35: cancer of the testis.In: DeVita VT, Hellman S, Rosenberg SA (editors). Cancer: principles and practice of oncology. 6th edition. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia, U.S.A.; 2001.

Jonker-Pool G, Hoekstra HJ, van Imhoff GW et al.Male sexuality after cancer treatment - needs for information and support: testicular cancer compared to malignant lymphoma.Patient Education and Counselling. 2004; 52: 143-50.

This information was last updated on May 14, 2008

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2009. All rights reserved.

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