CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, Vol 30, 55-58, Copyright
© 1980 by American Cancer Society
Sinus Histiocytosis with Massive Lymphadenopathy
James Dearth M.D.1,
David Hunter M.D.2,
David Kelly M.D.3, and
William Crist M.D.4
1 Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama in Birmingham, Alabama, and an American Cancer Society Junior Faculty Clinical Fellow.
2 Senior Resident, Department of Otolaryngology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama in Birmingham, Alabama.
3 Assistant Professor of Pathology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama in Birmingham, Alabama.
4 Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama in Birmingham, Alabama.
A 22-month-old child presented with massive cervical adenopathy accom panied by a retropharyngeal mass that caused stridoranddysphagia. Biopsy from both sides was consistent with sinus his tiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy (SHML).
SHML is an unusual benign lesion that characteristically presents with pain less, massive cervical adenopathy. Ex tranodal sites such as orbit, nose and skin are usually affected in association with cervical adenopathy. The pharyn geal involvement in this and several ot her recently reported cases adds to the het erogeneity of presentation of this un usual disease. The etiology remains un known. No treatment is required, nor is any treatment known to be consis tently effective. Gradual resolution of adenopathy over six months to several years is the expected outcome.
