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[Clinical factors that predict malignancy in cervical lymph node biopsies]
Marcela del Pilar Vargas-Vallejo1, Rubén Martín Alvarez-Solís, Margarita Juárez-Quintal
1Servicio de Oncología, Hospital Pediátrico, Secretaría de Salud, Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico.
Insights
Pediatric cervical lymphadenopathy risk factors for malignancy include larger lymph node size and bilateral involvement. Hodgkin disease was most common in school-aged boys.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Surgical Pathology
- Diagnostic Imaging
Context:
- Cervical lymphadenopathy is a common presentation in pediatric patients.
- Lymph node biopsy is often required to determine the cause.
- Distinguishing between malignant and benign causes is crucial for appropriate management.
Purpose:
- To identify clinical predictors of malignancy in children undergoing lymph node biopsy for cervical lymphadenopathy.
- To analyze risk factors associated with malignant cervical lymphadenopathy in pediatric cases.
Summary:
- A retrospective study of 43 pediatric patients with cervical adenopathy identified key risk factors for malignancy.
- Malignant cases (23) were more frequent than benign (20).
- Significant risk factors included lymph node size (>3 cm), bilateral involvement, and shorter disease progression (<6 months). Hodgkin disease was the most common malignancy, predominantly affecting school-aged boys.
Impact:
- Provides valuable clinical data to anticipate malignancy risk in pediatric cervical lymphadenopathy.
- Aids clinicians in risk stratification and decision-making for lymph node biopsies.
- Contributes to improved diagnostic accuracy and timely initiation of treatment for pediatric cancer patients.
Objective:
To present the clinical data that would anticipate the risk of malignancy in children subject to a lymph node biopsy for cervical lymphadenopathy.
Methods:
This is a descriptive, retrospective and cross-sectional study that included 43 patients who were seen for cervical adenopathy in a 10-year period at the Hospital del Niño "Dr. Rodolfo Nieto Padrón."
Results:
23 cases turned out to be malignant disease (Hodgking disease being the most frequent) and 20 non-malignant diseases (infectious or reactive). The age at the moment of the diagnosis, duration of clinical progression and the number of nodes involved (2 or more) and the size of the lymph node biopsied were the risk factors for malignancy. Non-associated risk factors were sex, age of the patient, fever and spleen enlargement.
Conclusion:
Hodgkin disease was the most common that affected boys in school age. The size of the lymph node bigger than 3 cm and bilateral cervical lymph nodes and the progression of the disease shorter than 6 months, were the most significant differences between malignant and benign adenopathy.
