Cervical lymphadenopathy-a clue to systemic diseases: A recent update

Abstract

Lymph nodes are distributed along with the lymphatic system all over the body. Enlargement of lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy) may result from an infection, hyperplasia during the immunologic response, and sometimes also by infiltration by cancer cells or lipid cells. Lymphadenopathy may be regional or generalized and or caused by local or systemic factors. Therefore, the differential diagnosis of lymphadenopathy is critical. Oral physician during routine physical examination also includes the examination of any enlarged lymph node in the head and neck region. Lymphadenopathy may be the only clinical presentation or one of the few findings, and enlarged lymph nodes may often raise the suspicion of an underlying pathology like lymphoma, leukemia, and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). This review focuses on the various causes of cervical lymphadenopathy, and the systemic approach to the differential diagnosis and the management along with the health care team.