What is a neck lump? “Lump” or “mass” refers to an abnormal swelling, enlargement or elevation of tissue or its interstitial space in any part of the body, regardless of its size or shape, firmness or softness, mobility or fixity, single or multiple, superficial or deep. It is called a mass, and if it is located in the neck, it is called a cervical mass. Neck masses are very common in ENT clinics. Generally speaking, benign masses account for 20% and malignant masses account for 80%; malignant masses originating from other organs account for 80% and those originating from the neck account for 20%; those originating from the thyroid gland account for 20% and those from the non-thyroid gland account for 80%. What is metastatic cancer of the neck Metastatic cancer of the neck is a professional term used by head and neck surgeons, which may not be understood by patients. In layman’s terms, it means that tumors from other parts of the body “run” to the neck with blood or lymph and settle in the neck, and gradually grow. Professionally, it is understood that every person has a major group of lymph nodes in every organ of the body. When there is an inflammation or tumor in one part of the body, microorganisms or cancer cells can spread along the lymphatic vessels and cause lumps in other parts of the body. What to do if you have a neck lump A neck lump is a common disease, what to do if you unfortunately have a neck lump, don’t be nervous, and don’t avoid treatment. We introduce a “7” rule to help you understand neck lumps and make the right decision. When the lump occurs within “7 days” and there is pain, and it often occurs after “cold”, “sore throat”, “toothache “If the lump is longer than 7 days and less than 7 months, and develops quickly, the lump is very hard, then you should pay attention to it, it may be a malignant tumor, must be dealt with as soon as possible; if the lump is about 7 years long, you do not have to be nervous, it is generally a congenital lump, or inflammatory lump, which can be cured by surgery. In addition, it should be reminded that Guangdong is a high incidence area for nasopharyngeal cancer. If you have a neck lump with blood in the nose, tinnitus and headache at the same time, you must go to the otorhinolaryngology clinic to rule out whether you have nasopharyngeal cancer. How to treat neck masses Neck masses are extremely complicated, ranging from benign to malignant, and originating from the neck to other organs. For benign lumps, medication or surgical removal can completely cure them. For malignant lumps, your doctor will do some tests to help you find the real culprit and then treat it together with the neck lump after the culprit is identified.