He was under medication for hypothyroidism and diabetes mellitus. There were no other associated signs or symptoms. Had multiple medical consultations and multiple courses of antibiotics and a course of antifilarial over the past 1 month, with no reduction in symptoms. Swelling started as a discomfort on the left side of the neck followed by the appearance of swelling, which gradually increased in size and associated pain for 1 month.
Sometimes, cervical lymphadenopathy may be the solitary sign of underlying condition as in our case.Ī 62-year-old male patient presented with the chief complaints of swelling on the left side of face and neck region for 2 months, which was of sudden onset. Here, we are reporting a case of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) presented only as cervical lymphadenopathy and diagnosis is made by an extensive investigative work up. In most of the cases, lack of appropriate examination and investigation result in delay in correct diagnosis and may result in iatrogenic complication due to improper diagnosis. Thus, a patient reporting with palpable lymph node in the neck is a serious diagnostic and therapeutic problem. Differentiating localized, and generalized lymphadenopathy is very essential for formulating a diagnosis. According to its duration, it can be acute (2 weeks duration), subacute (4–6 weeks duration) and chronic (does not resolve by 6 weeks duration). Lymphadenopathy is broadly classified into localized, generalized, and dermatopathic. Malignancies, infections, autoimmune disorders, iatrogenic, and miscellaneous conditions are regarded as the causes for cervical lymphadenopathy. Any abnormality in the size, consistency, and number of lymph nodes is defined as lymphadenopathy, which is caused by the invasion or propagation of either inflammatory or neoplastic cells into the lymph node. The body has about 600 lymph nodes of which approximately 60–70 nodes are situated in the head and neck region. Lymph nodes are oval-shaped organs of immune system, distributed throughout the body and linked by lymphatic vessels.