Onkológia 6/2014

Differential diagnosis of lymphadenopathy and lymphocytosis, indolent lymphomas

Enlarged lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy) are a general clinical finding which can lead to a wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. It may be lymphadenopathy in a benign inflammatory disease, in a primary haematological malignancy or solid tumor metastatic disease. Lymph nodes may be affected in a number of other systemic diseases. Lymphadenopathy in atypical locations is always pathological. Lymphocytosis is defined as the absolute number of lymphocytes, which is above the 4 x 109/l, may be primary, secondary (reactive), stress (acute) and persistent (chronic). Indolent non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas (I-NHL) are a heterogeneous group of malignant lymphoproliferative disorders, which are characterized by low growth, tendency to generalization already in the early stages of the disease and often only with minimal clinical signs in the course of the disease.

Keywords: lymphadenopathy, lymph node biopsy, lymphocytosis, indolent lymphomas.