ETIOLOGICAL FACTORS, CLINICAL PRESENTATIONS AND TREATMENT OUTCOME OF CERVICAL LYMPHADENOPATHY: AN OBSERVATIONAL DESCRIPTIVE STUDY

Description

Aim: To study various etiological factors, clinical presentations of cervical lymphadenopathy. To study the management and outcome of cervical lymphadenopathy Method: Proper clinical history was first noted, local and systemic examination was performed and a clinical diagnosis was made. Gender wise distribution, presenting symptoms, site distribution, and treatment outcome were noted. Result: Gender wise distribution of male and female was 52%, and 48%, commonest site of primary in cases of metastatic Secondaries was tongue followed by oesophagus and thyroid. After proper diagnosis confirmed by Histopathology (biopsy), treatment constituted properly- Cases of Tubercular Lymphadenitis (49 cases) were Started on Anti-tubercular treatment, all were showed improvement in symptoms. Cases of Reactive lymphadenitis (26 cases) started on antibiotics, all recovered well. Among 14 Cases of Metastatic secondaries, 5 cases were given Chemotherapy/Radiotherapy after expert oncologist opinion out of which 3 showed improved symptoms and 2 were expired, 6 cases were operated out of which 5 showed improved symptoms and 1 expired post operatively, 3 cases were referred to specialized oncological and oncosurgical center for further management. All 6 Lymphoma cases were started on chemotherapy after expert oncologist opinion showed improvement in symptoms. Conclusion: Commonest site of primary in cases of metastatic Secondaries was tongue followed by oesophagus and thyroid. Anti-tubercular treatment for tubercular lymphadenitis was highly satisfactory with improvement in almost all patients. Surgery was restricted as an adjuvant to chemotherapy, as diagnostic biopsy, for treatment of abscess/sinuses and for a lymph nodes that do not resolve with chemotherapy. Non-tuberculous non-neoplastic lesions can be best managed by conservatively.
Keywords: Cervical lymphadenopathy; Clinical presentations; Treatment outcome.