Problem: Ms. Anna Clemons, a 20-year-old waitress, who is a new patient. She has noticed a lump in the left side of her neck. On questioning, you learn that Ms. Clemons has lost about 8 pounds in the past couple of months, has felt tired, and has had some night sweats. Her vital signs are normal. There are two firm, enlarged lymph nodes in her left neck in front of the sternocleidomastoid muscle (the long muscle in the side of the neck that extends up to the base of the skull behind the ear). Physical examination Is otherwise unremarkable.
What is the best description of a node?
A. It is an enlarged lymph gland
B. It is a cancerous growth
C. It is a circumscribed mass of tissue
D. It is a benign growth
E. It is a part of the nervous system