Lymphogenic Metastasis

We speak of lymphogenic metastasis when tumour cells penetrate the lymphatic system rather than the bloodstream and are transported off and on via the lymph. As a result, metastases do not only develop in the lymph nodes close to the primary tumour. The tumour cells can also enter the bloodstream via the lymphatic system and then continue to metastasise haematogenically. The fact that metastases develop in the lymph nodes, which normally have a defence function and can destroy tumour cells in the process, is probably due to the fact that they lose their filter function with increasing tumour growth.