KBB-Forum 2019 , Cilt 18, Sayı 1

PREDICTING MALIGNANCY IN CERVICAL LYMPH NODE: CLINICAL RESULTS

Elif KOÇLU HETEMOĞLU 1, MD; Selim Sermed ERBEK 1, MD.
1Department Otorhinolaryngology, Medical Faculty of Başkent University, Ankara, Turkey Background: The history of the patient, examination findings and imaging modalities are important to determine the etiological factors in lymphadenopathies, A good knowledge of the predictive values of malignancy, prevents loss of time and unnecessary surgeries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pathology results of patients who underwent excisional lymph node biopsy and to examine the parameters that can be used in predicting malignancy.

Methods: Patients who underwent excisional lymph node biopsy due to cervical lymphadenopathy were included in the study and patient files were retrospectively scanned. The demographic information of the patients and region, side, size, consistency, and localization of the lymph node were recorded. Preoperative screening techniques, postoperative complications and pathological diagnosis were also recorded. Parameters that can be used to predict malignancy, were determined from these data.

Results: The study included a total of 133 patients, comprising 60 (45.1%) males and 73 (54.9%) females. Malignant lesions were found at a significantly higher rate in patients aged >40 years (p=0.003). Supraclavicular, rigid and ≥3 cm lymphadenopathies had a high risk of malignancy, although not at a statistically significant level.

Conclusion: Age is a parameter that can be used in the prediction of malignancy in cervical lymphadenopathies. Keywords : Cervical lymphadenopathy, malignancy prediction, neck masses