Glandular inclusions in lymph nodes. The problem of extensive involvement and relationship to salpingitis.

Para-aortic and pelvic lymph nodes surgically removed from 50 female patients were examined for glandular inclusions. The findings were correlated with fallopian tube changes in patients whose lymph nodes were found to contain inclusions. Seven of the 50 patients had lymph node glandular inclusions; in six, the inclusions were located primarily in the cortical or capsular regions and were few in number. Of these six patients, four had acute or chronic salpingitis. The seventh patient had exuberant lymph node glandular inclusions initially interpreted as metastatic adenocarcinoma and salpingitis isthmica nodosa. This patient is discussed in detail. The association of lymph node glandular inclusions with salpingitis has been reported twice previously; one of these two patients had salpingitis isthmica nodosa. These findings suggest a definite relationship between tubal disease lymph node glandular inclusions. The rare exuberant form of glandular inclusions is benign and should not be confused with adenocarcinoma. It appears definitely associated with salpingitis isthmica nodosa. We suggest two different mechanisms for the pathogenesis of these inclusions. The first is "benign metastasis" from the proliferating tubal epithelium to the draining lymph nodes. The second is a proliferative stimulus responsible for salpingitis isthmica nodosa which also acts on preexisting glandular inclusions to produce the extensive nodal lesion.