title: Histologic diagnoses in persistently swollen cervical lymph nodes.
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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Persistently swollen cervical lymph nodes should trigger a thorough clinical examination and prompt biopsy for histopathological workup.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, D-53105 Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Wiebke
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Laffers
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eggert
authors.forename: Hans-Ulrich
authors.initials: HU
authors.lastname: Schildhaus
authors.forename: Friedrich
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bootz
authors.forename: Andreas O H
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Gerstner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008199:Lymphadenitis / Q000473:pathology*; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D018579:Patient Selection; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult