Head and Neck Lymphomas - Diagnostic Difficulties

Malignant lymphomas represent approximately 5% of all malignant neoplasm of the head and neck and may involve nodal or extranodal sites. The head and neck region is the second most frequent anatomical site of extranodal lymphomas (after the gastrointestinal tract). Most are non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) of B-cell lineage. Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) rarely occurs in extranodal site.The aim of the study was to evaluate head and neck manifestation of lymphoma (both HL and NHL) and emphasize diagnostic difficulties of these pathologies.Material and methods. Retrospective review of medical records of patients diagnosed for lymphomas in our department was performed. Authors analyzed demographic data as well as clinical manifestation and diagnostic trials.Results. 9 patients were included to the study. 7 of them suffered from extranodal NHL and 2 of them from HL (one patient - extranodal and one nodal manifestation). There were diagnostic complications in all cases and final diagnosis was made after surgical material analysis.Conclusions. This data demonstrate low sensivity of fine needle aspiration for identification of lymphoma as well as clinical picture is non characteristic.