Clinicopathological Assessment of Cervical Lymphadenopathy among the Patients Attending a Tertiary Care Centre in Assam

Background: Cervical lymphadenopathy is a common and complex condition that can manifest as a local orsystemic pathology, ranging from minor infections to life-threatening malignancies. Accurate diagnosis andmanagement of cervical lymphadenopathy are crucial, as persistent and painless swelling of neck nodes can be awarning sign for serious conditions such as tuberculosis, cancer, and lymphoma. This study aims to investigatethe clinical profile of patients presenting with cervical lymphadenopathy and correlate clinical diagnosis withpathological findings.Materials and Methods: A hospital-based observational study investigated the clinicopathological profile ofcervical lymphadenopathy in patients attending the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Assam MedicalCollege & Hospital, and Dibrugarh for one year from March 2023 to February 2024. A total of 50 patients withcervical lymphadenopathy were enrolled, with a focus on symptoms, lymph node involvement, and diagnosticmethods including clinical examination, fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), and biopsy.Results: The majority of patients were males (58%), with a mean age of 36.86 years, and presented withunilateral cervical lymph node involvement (80%) and single lymph node enlargement (60%). Tuberculouslymphadenitis was the most common diagnosis (56%), followed by metastatic secondaries (20%), reactivelymphadenitis (10%), Hodgkin’s lymphoma (4%), non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (4%) and granulomatouslymphadenitis (6%). Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) showed high diagnostic accuracy for tuberculouslymphadenitis, reactive lymphadenitis, and secondaries outperforming clinical diagnosis alone.Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of cervical lymphadenopathy as an indicator of underlyingconditions, with tuberculous lymphadenitis being the most common cause in the Indian population. Fine-needleaspiration cytology (FNAC) and open biopsy with histopathological examination are essential diagnostic tools,enabling early detection and referral, particularly in resource-limited primary healthcare settings. The findingsof this study can inform healthcare strategies to reduce diagnostic delays and improve treatment outcomes fortuberculosis and lymph node cancers.