Lymphadenopathy as a primary presenting sign: a clinicopathological study of 228 cases

A total of 228 cases of lymphadenopathy as a primary presenting sign are reported. Tissue diagnoses were divided into: metastatic carcinoma (41 per cent), lymphoma (19 per cent), a specific non-neoplastic condition (10 per cent) and non-specific hyperplasia and inflammation (30 per cent); thus the overall yield of positive tissue diagnosis was 70 per cent. Just 5 primary sites: breast, lung, gastrointestinal and genito-urinary tracts and skin (mainly melanomas) accounted for all but one case. Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas were evenly distributed. In those with generalized malignant lymphadenopathy a surprisingly even proportion of 1 to 1.5 was found between carcinoma and lymphoma. In those with localized malignant disease metastatic carcinoma predominated. The overall incidence of primary lymphadenopathy in increased with age, due to an increase in malignancy. Less than half of patients with carcinomatous lymphadenopathy had symptoms and these tended to be organ specific, whereas three-quarters of patients with lymphoma had symptoms which were usually non-specific. A haematological screen, liver function tests and chest X-ray were frequently abnormal but were not diagnostic.