That is the reason that lymph nodes are often checked for the presence of cancer cells. Cancer that has spread to the adjacent lymph nodes requires more advanced treatment than cancer that has not spread. More About Lymphedema Lymphedema occurs when the capacity of the lymphatic system to remove tissue fluid is less than the quantity of fluid entering the tissues. The result is swelling of the tissue. There are two main types of lymphedema.
Primary lymphedema occurs when the lymphatic system is underdeveloped from birth.
It may be present at birth, but more commonly, it may not become manifest until later in life, usually in young adulthood. Secondary lymphedema occurs when the system is damaged from the outside, for example, by infection, injury, surgery or radiation. In the extremely overweight, lymphedema can occur when the system simply becomes overloaded. In much of the world, the most common cause of lymphedema is infestation and damage by the parasitic disease filariasis. Filariasis is a tropical illness that produces lymphedema by infecting lymph nodes and blocking lymphatics, usually in the legs, and producing, in severe cases, elephantiasis, or grotesque swelling and skin changes of the legs and genitalia.