Head and Neck Pathology

Question 1

List some diagnoses for a neck lump

Answer 1

• Branchial cleft cyst - located along anterior SCM between hyoid bone and suprasternal notch
• Thyroglossal duct cyst - midline, moves with tongue protrusion
• Bronchial/thymic cyst
• Thyroid gland nodule/goitre
• Carotid body tumour - pulsatile
• Cervical lymph node - reactive/neoplastic
• Salivary gland

Question 2

Where are secondary tumours of the parotid gland likely to arise from?

Answer 2

• ENT region (contains draining nodes)

Question 3

Which two viruses are importantly implicated in the development of ENT cancers?

Answer 3

• HPV (good prognosis)
• EBV (especially nasopharyngeal SCCs)