Original Article

Histologic diagnoses in persistently swollen cervical lymph nodes†

  1. Wiebke Laffers MD1,
  2. Kristina Eggert1,
  3. Hans–Ulrich Schildhaus MD2,
  4. Friedrich Bootz PhD, MD1,
  5. Andreas O. H. Gerstner PhD, MD1,*

Article first published online: 5 APR 2011

DOI: 10.1002/hed.21742

Issue

Head & Neck

Head & Neck

Volume 34, Issue 3, pages 371–375, March 2012

Additional Information

How to Cite

Laffers, W., Eggert, K., Schildhaus, H., Bootz, F. and Gerstner, A. O. H. (2012), Histologic diagnoses in persistently swollen cervical lymph nodes. Head Neck, 34: 371–375. doi: 10.1002/hed.21742

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, D-53105 Bonn, Germany

  2. 2

    Department of Pathology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, D-53105 Bonn, Germany

*Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, D-53105 Bonn, Germany

  1. †

    This work was presented as a short talk with poster at the 81st Annual Meeting of the German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery in Wiesbaden, Germany, May 15, 2010.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 7 FEB 2012
  2. Article first published online: 5 APR 2011
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 4 JAN 2011

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Keywords:

  • neck;
  • lymph node biopsy;
  • histology;
  • cervical lymphadenopathy;
  • malignancy

Abstract

Background

Biopsy and histological examination of persistently enlarged cervical lymph nodes represent a major health care issue and have high impact on further clinical therapy. Tertiary health centers are faced with an increased demand for diagnostic workup to rule out malignancy. We performed a retrospective study from January 2000 to June 2008 to identify patients referred to us for diagnostic biopsy and to document the histopathological result.

Methods

Patients with a diagnostic biopsy, but neither clinical signs of head and neck cancer nor other malignancies, were identified within the records. Patient characteristics and histopathological diagnosis were retrieved.

Results

Three hundred twenty-six patients were identified (146 women, and 180 men). One hundred twenty-three patients (38%; 44 women, and 79 men) had a malignancy: 61 with metastatic disease and 62 with malignant lymphoma; the youngest was 15 years old and the oldest was 92 years old.

Conclusion

Persistently swollen cervical lymph nodes should trigger a thorough clinical examination and prompt biopsy for histopathological workup. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2012

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