Value of immunohistochemistry in the diagnosis of malignant cervical lymph nodes.

UNLABELLED The cervical lymph nodes are relevant due to the diversity of clinical entities. The use of immunohistochemistry is a real method to elucidate the diagnosis of adenopathy, both primary and metastatic neoplasms. OBJECTIVE To assess the value of immunohistochemistry in the diagnosis of cervical lymph nodes malignancies. METHOD Retrospective study of the database histopathological specimens from 2009 to 2011. RESULTS Out of 32 biopsies of cervical lymph nodes, in 16 (50%) the immunohistochemistry was employed, being 68.75% (11) in hematological neoplasms and 31.25% (5) in carcinomas. It was used in all cases of lymphoma. CONCLUSION The immunohistochemistry was used in 50% of the biopsies of lymph nodes under suspicion of malignancy, being 31.25% in epithelial lesions and 68.75% in lymphoproliferative lesions.