The Fear of Lymphadenopathy: Does It Portend Sarcoidosis or Lymphoma?

摘要

Lymphadenopathy (localized or widespread) that is found during routine physical examination, on chest radio-graphs, or on chest computed tomography (CT) scans, is a nonspecific finding, but it can elicit intense fear and anxiety from both the patient and the clinician.1 Malignancy, particularly lymphoma, is immediately suspected whether the patient is young or old, but it should be the top concern in patients who are older than 50 years. However, it is a major pit-fall to reach conclusions prematurely, even if the patient has preexisting risk factors, such as age, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), tobacco smoking, or a history of cancer.