Peripheral lymphadenopathy in Nigeria.

A review was carried out on the histopathological diagnosis of peripheral lymph node biopsies processed and reported within a period of 18 years (1979-1996) in the Department of Pathology of University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria. A total of 751 cases from 468 male and 283 female patients within the age range of 1 year to 80 years were reviewed. Non-neoplastic lesions made up 50.8% while neoplastic lesions constituted 49.2%. Tuberculosis was the commonest cause of peripheral lymphadenopathy (31.4%) followed by metastatic lesions (19.3%). As a group, the lymphomas constituted 28.2% and were made up of Hodgkin's disease 12.6%, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma including Burkitt's lymphoma 15.6% (with Burkitt's alone constituting 3.3%). Few other infectious diseases found included toxoplasmosis, histoplasmosis and onchocerciasis. Non-specific reactive and inflammatory changes (both acute and chronic) collectively formed 17.6%. The primary sites of lymph node metastases could not be determined in 36.6% of netastatic lesions while the breast was the origin in 13.8% and was the highest incidence of metastatis. The commonest lymph node group affected was the cervical (42.6%) followed by inguinal (24.1%).