Treatment for cervical adenopathy usually involves addressing the underlying condition and allowing the nodes to recover on their own. If the patient has cancerous cells in the lymph nodes, surgery to remove them may be necessary. The doctor may take neighboring nodes as well even if they do not appear to be involved, just to be on the safe side; the nodes may harbor cancer cells that might start growing into tumors. After surgery, the patient may need chemotherapy and radiation to limit the chances of recurrence.