Pattern of lymph node pathology in Lagos

Area of Science:

• Pathology
• Oncology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Enlarged lymph nodes are a frequent clinical observation.
• Causes include infections, drug reactions, and various diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the pathology of lymph node diseases in children and adults.
• To investigate both deep-seated and peripheral lymphadenopathy in Lagos.

Main Methods:

• A 12-year retrospective study of lymph node biopsies.
• Data collected from Histopathology Department of LUTH and two private laboratories in Lagos.
• Analysis of 733 lymph node samples.

Main Results:

• Metastatic lesions (36.50%) were the most common diagnosis, followed by reactive hyperplasia (31.37%), lymphoma (16.85%), and chronic granulomatous lesions (14.93%).
• Peripheral lymphadenopathy (axilla, cervical, inguinal) was more prevalent than deep-seated (intra-abdominal, mediastinal) lymphadenopathy.
• The male to female ratio was 1:1.5.

Conclusions:

• Lymphoid disease categories in Lagos are comparable to other developing nations.
• There are notable differences in the frequency distribution of these diseases compared to existing literature.