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Cervical lymphadenopathy following coronavirus disease 2019 vaccine: clinical characteristics and implications for head and neck cancer services

Part of: JLO Coronavirus Collection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 September 2021

A K Abou-Foul Open the ORCID record for A K Abou-Foul [Opens in a new window] ,
E Ross Open the ORCID record for E Ross [Opens in a new window] ,
M Abou-Foul Open the ORCID record for M Abou-Foul [Opens in a new window]  and
A P George Open the ORCID record for A P George [Opens in a new window]
A K Abou-Foul*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, Royal Stoke University Hospital, Stoke-on-Trent, UK
E Ross
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, Royal Stoke University Hospital, Stoke-on-Trent, UK
M Abou-Foul
Affiliation:
Radiology Department, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust, UK
A P George
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust, Royal Stoke University Hospital, Stoke-on-Trent, UK School of Medicine, Keele University, Stoke-on-Trent, UK
*
Author for correspondence: A K Abou-Foul, Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Royal Stoke University Hospital, Newcastle Rd, Stoke-on-TrentST4 6QG, UK E-mail: ahmadkamal.abou-foul@nhs.net
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Abstract

Objective

Patients with coronavirus disease vaccine associated lymphadenopathy are increasingly being referred to healthcare services. This work is the first to report on the incidence, clinical course and imaging features of coronavirus disease vaccine associated cervical lymphadenopathy, with special emphasis on the implications for head and neck cancer services.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study of all patients referred to our head and neck cancer clinics between 16 December 2020 and 12 March 2021. The main outcomes measured were the proportion of patients with vaccine-associated cervical lymphadenopathy, and the clinical and imaging characteristics.

Results

The incidence of vaccine-associated cervical lymphadenopathy referrals was 14.8 per cent (n = 13). Five patients (38.5 per cent) had abnormal-looking enlarged and rounded nodes with increased vascularity. Only seven patients (53.9 per cent) reported full resolution within an average of 3.1 ± 2.3 weeks.

Conclusion

Coronavirus disease vaccine associated cervical lymphadenopathy can mimic malignant lymphadenopathy and therefore might prove challenging to diagnose and manage correctly. Healthcare services may encounter a significant increase in referrals.

Keywords

COVID-19 VaccineLymphadenopathyHead And Neck NeoplasmsNeckUltrasonographyHead And Neck Cancer
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 135 , Issue 11 , November 2021 , pp. 1025 - 1030
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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Footnotes

A K Abou-Foul takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper

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