When a patient presents with swelling around the head and neck, the doctor can palpate the area to check for cervical adenopathy as well as enlargement in other structures. This can be an important part of diagnosis and treatment, as the growth might not actually be related to the lymph nodes. If the doctor has concerns about malignancies, a biopsy may be necessary to take a sample of cells from the swelling. A pathologist can examine the sample under a microscope to determine what kinds of cells are involved and to check for signs of malignancy.