Open Access

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease in the regional lymph nodes with node metastasis in a patient with tongue cancer: A case report and literature review

  • Authors:
    • Tessho Maruyama
    • Kazuhide Nishihara
    • Masanao Saio
    • Toshiyuki Nakasone
    • Fumikazu Nimura
    • Akira Matayoshi
    • Takahiro Goto
    • Naoki Yoshimi
    • Akira Arasaki
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: May 9, 2017     https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2017.6139
  • Pages: 257-263
  • Copyright: © Maruyama et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD), also known as histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis, is a rare self‑limiting disorder typically affecting the cervical lymph nodes (LNs), which is often misdiagnosed as other LN‑associated diseases. KFD frequently presents with necrotic lesions and recurrences, which are also features of metastatic LNs. Clinicians may thus suspect LN metastasis when they encounter ipsilateral cervical lymphadenopathy in a patient with head and neck cancer. The present study reports the case of a 48‑year‑old man with tongue cancer and KFD affecting the right edge of his tongue and ipsilateral cervical LNs. LN metastasis was initially suspected, but pathological examination of the dissected LNs revealed one necrotic metastatic lesion and two necrotic KFD lesions. Ipsilateral cervical lymphadenopathy recurred 6 years after the initial surgery, and it was not possible to differentiate clinically between a second primary tumor and recurrent KFD prior to treatment. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of simultaneous tongue cancer, regional LN metastasis and KFD. This highlights the requirement to consider KFD in the event of LNs with necrotic lesions but no cancerous cells. A combination of clinical and pathological approaches may aid in the diagnosis of KFD, in addition to ruling out LN metastasis in initial and recurrent lymphadenopathies. The present study indicate that a diagnosis of KFD should be considered in patients with head and neck cancer that exhibit necrotic LNs lacking cancerous cells. This is important, as misdiagnosis of KFD as LN metastasis may lead to unnecessary adjuvant therapy.
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July-2017
Volume 14 Issue 1

Print ISSN: 1792-1074
Online ISSN:1792-1082

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Spandidos Publications style
Maruyama T, Nishihara K, Saio M, Nakasone T, Nimura F, Matayoshi A, Goto T, Yoshimi N and Arasaki A: Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease in the regional lymph nodes with node metastasis in a patient with tongue cancer: A case report and literature review. Oncol Lett 14: 257-263, 2017.
APA
Maruyama, T., Nishihara, K., Saio, M., Nakasone, T., Nimura, F., Matayoshi, A. ... Arasaki, A. (2017). Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease in the regional lymph nodes with node metastasis in a patient with tongue cancer: A case report and literature review. Oncology Letters, 14, 257-263. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2017.6139
MLA
Maruyama, T., Nishihara, K., Saio, M., Nakasone, T., Nimura, F., Matayoshi, A., Goto, T., Yoshimi, N., Arasaki, A."Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease in the regional lymph nodes with node metastasis in a patient with tongue cancer: A case report and literature review". Oncology Letters 14.1 (2017): 257-263.
Chicago
Maruyama, T., Nishihara, K., Saio, M., Nakasone, T., Nimura, F., Matayoshi, A., Goto, T., Yoshimi, N., Arasaki, A."Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease in the regional lymph nodes with node metastasis in a patient with tongue cancer: A case report and literature review". Oncology Letters 14, no. 1 (2017): 257-263. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2017.6139