title: Isolated syphilitic cervical lymphadenopathy: report of two cases and review of the literature.
abstract: Isolated syphilitic cervical lymphadenopathy (SCL) is a rare presentation of syphilis. Two patients with isolated SCL are presented here with a review of the literature. The first patient was a 72-year-old man with a mass (diameter 5 cm) in the right neck region for 26 days. Serological tests, imaging studies and pathological examination of the mass after surgical excision confirmed the diagnosis of isolated SCL. The second patient was a 48-year-old man with a mass (diameter 4 cm) in the right neck region for 1 month. The diagnosis of isolated SCL was made on the basis of serological tests, cervical ultrasound and pathological examination of the mass after surgical excision. Complete excision resulted in a satisfactory outcome in both patients. Isolated neck masses without associated clinical manifestations or adverse personal history are a diagnostic challenge, and SCL is easily overlooked in the differential diagnosis. Unusual masses should always remind clinicians of this infectious disease and a comprehensive diagnostic strategy is recommended. Nonroutine syphilitic serological tests should be performed in patients suspected of having SCL, and the histopathological and immunohistochemical characteristics may help to confirm the diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: W Q
authors.initials: WQ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: H Z
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: H Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000382:microbiology*; D008199:Lymphadenitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013587:Syphilis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010406:Penicillins