Cytological Findings of Malignant and Benign Head and Neck Masses in Somalia

Abstract

Objective: There are no up-to-date records on head and neck masses (HNMs) in Somalia. This cytological study is the first to demonstrate the benefits and findings of fine-needle aspiration cytology in evaluating HNMs in the adult population of Somalia. Study Design: A total of 116 aspiration samples were taken from different levels of the neck region, except for the thyroid. Cases were classified as salivary gland, lymph node, or soft tissue/cystic lesions. They were classified according to age, gender, and cytological diagnosis. Results: Patients included 54 (46.6%) males and 62 (53.4%) females, with a mean age of 40.6 years. Seventy-two patients (62.1%) had benign lesions, while 44 (37.9%) had malignant lesions. Necrotizing granulomatous lymphadenitis (n = 51, 70.8% of the benign findings) and lymph node metastasis of squamous cell carcinoma (n = 13, 29.5% of the malignant findings) were the most frequent findings. Conclusion: Fine-needle aspiration is a useful procedure in the diagnosis of neck masses. It is a cheap and easy guiding method for diagnosing granulomatous lymphadenitis and advanced-stage metastatic cancers, which are common in this country.

Analysis of the Diagnostic Effect of EUS-RTE on Giant Cystic Tumours of the Oesophagus Based on Cluster Analysis

“…The correlation between pathological responsiveness and each clinicopathological factor was analysed comparatively using the chi-square test. The Kaplan–Meier survival curve and log-rank method were used to analyse the relationship between tumour pathological responsiveness and recurrence-free survival and overall survival after adjuvant therapy [ 18 ]. The ROC curve actually represents a stochastic classifier.…”

Tuberculous and non‐tuberculous cervical lymphadenopathy incidence and distribution in Somalia from 2016 to 2020: A review of 241 cases

“…In many reports, TB was the most common cause of cervical lymphadenopathy in tropical regions. 13 Sarda et al 17 found that 86% of cervical lymphadenopathies were of TB origin. This high rate indicates that lymph node biopsy was performed with good clinical screening and possibly appropriate patient selection.…”

“…As in our study, TB dominance in Somalia stands out. In many reports, TB was the most common cause of cervical lymphadenopathy in tropical regions 13 . Sarda et al 17 found that 86% of cervical lymphadenopathies were of TB origin.…”

“…FNAB, which is inexpensive, reliable and easily performed, continues to be the most preferred method in the diagnosis of cervical lymphadenopathy. Especially in the presence of US‐guided and enough sample taking from the appropriate part of the lesion and an experienced pathologist, FNAB sensitivity is close to 100% 13,31 . Since there is no endoscopic ultrasound, positron emission tomography and oncology unit in Somalia, FNAB was the first step in the evaluation of cervical lymph nodes.…”

“…Ultrasound (US)‐guided percutaneous biopsy (FNAB or CNB) is the first choised method used in the evaluation of cervical lymphadenopathy because it is simple, cost effective, safe and minimally invasive 4,5 . Although there are many data on the etiology of cervical lymphadenopathy in many African countries, there is only one study covering the 6 month period between 2016‐2017 and examining a limited number of patients on the causes of cervical lymphadenopathy and TBL incidence in Somalia 13 . The primary purpose of this study is to investigate the frequency of lymphadenopathies due to TB and other causes, radiological findings accompanying TBL and the effectiveness of percutaneous biopsy methods in patients who underwent US‐guided percutaneous biopsy (FNAB or CNB) for cervical lymphadenopathy in an over four years period, in “Somalia Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan Education and Research Hospital” (STRTEH) the most equipped hospital in the region.…”