What does a positive lymph node mean?

As part of examining tissue removed during surgery, a pathologist may check nearby lymph nodes. For some cancers—especially breast cancer and melanoma—the surgeon removes the first nodes the cancer would likely reach (sentinel lymph nodes) so they can be checked.

• A lymph node is called positive if it has cancer cells in it.
• A lymph node is called negative if it does not.

Whether nearby lymph nodes contain cancer is part of how doctors describe the extent, or stage, of a cancer. It is one piece of the pathology report, considered together with the tumor type, grade, margins, and other findings. Your healthcare team can explain what your lymph node results mean for you.