Cystic metastatic squamous cell carcinoma - A case report

Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) has been shown to be very useful in the preoperative evaluation of neck masses. Cystic change in metastatic lymph nodes occurs in certain types of tumors and it is an unexplained, site-specific phenomenon that mostly happens in the lymph nodes of head and neck region. It is suggested that cases of cystic squamous carcinoma metastases to cervical lymph nodes may be determined by cytological examination of fine needle aspirates. The importance of interpretation of fine needle aspiration cytology by an experienced cytologist is emphasized to avoid the possibility of excising metastatic squamous cell carcinomas, which could lead to unnecessary surgical procedures such as radical neck dissection.