Cervical lymphadenopathy in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia

A total of 1,250 cervical lymph node biopsies were performed at King Fahad University Hospital, Al Khobar, kingdom of Saudi Arabia during a 12-year period (1982-1983). This restrospective study revealed that in 42% of the biopsies, there were histological features of either primary or metastatic malignant conditions, while 30% exhibited non-specific reactive changes. Granulomatous conditions accounted for 28% of the cases. The data is compared with similar published studies with a review and discussion of relevant literature.