Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39905864›Full record

ArticleThe Permanente journal2025

Comparative Analysis of Biopsy Techniques for Cervical Lymphoma: A Retrospective Cohort Review.

Jacob Edward Hoerter, Andrew D Lynch, Bruce F Folck, Meredith Anderson, Rijul S Kshirsagar, Jason Gilde, David Baer, Joan C Lo, Kevin H Wang

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in The Permanente journal, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Jacob Edward HoerterDepartment of Head and Neck Surgery, Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center, Oakland, CA, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-3770-0962
Andrew D LynchDepartment of Medicine, Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center, Oakland, CA, USA.
Bruce F FolckDivision of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, USA.
Meredith AndersonDivision of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, USA.
Rijul S KshirsagarDepartment of Head and Neck Surgery, Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center, Oakland, CA, USA.
Jason GildeDepartment of Head and Neck Surgery, Kaiser Permanente Vallejo Medical Center, Vallejo, CA, USA.
David BaerThe Permanente Medical Group, Oakland, CA, USA.
Joan C LoDivision of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, USA.
Kevin H WangDepartment of Head and Neck Surgery, Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center, Oakland, CA, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionLymphoma is the most common neck mass malignancy in adults but can present diagnostic challenges due to controversy surrounding the best initial biopsy approach. In this study, the authors characterize the diagnostic pathway in adults with lymphoma (or leukemia) presenting initially as a neck mass and examine the biopsy procedures required for diagnosis in a large community-based practice setting.

methodsUsing data from a retrospective cohort of 4103 adults referred to otolaryngology with a neck mass (5% found to be malignant), the authors identified the subset with lymphoma (or leukemia) and examined the time to diagnosis and the number and type of biopsies required for diagnosis.

resultsAmong 73 adults with lymphoma or leukemia that initially presented with a neck mass (25% diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, 32% Hodgkin lymphoma, 18% follicular lymphoma, and 25% other lymphoma/leukemia), 70% required repeated biopsies for diagnosis. Overall, 93% required a core-needle biopsy (CNB) or an excisional biopsy for diagnosis, although 64% of patients underwent fine-needle aspiration (FNA) for their first biopsy. Patients undergoing initial FNA were diagnosed a median of 19 days after presentation (95% required additional biopsy), whereas those undergoing initial CNB were diagnosed a median of 5 days after presentation (only 25% required additional biopsy). DISCUSSION: These data highlight the limited diagnostic utility of FNA for lymphoma presenting as a neck mass and support consideration of CNB when lymphoma is suspected in a neck mass to minimize repeat biopsy and time to diagnosis.

conclusionLymphoma represents a diagnostic challenge. CNB represents an opportunity to improve diagnostic efficiency, although additional research is needed to ascertain impacts on cost and side effects in various health care environments.

Indexed as

Head and Neck NeoplasmsLymphomaAdultAgedAged, 80 and overBiopsyBiopsy, Fine-NeedleBiopsy, Large-Core NeedleFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective Studiescore-needle biopsyfine-needle aspirationhead and neck cancerlymphomaneck mass

Identifiers

PMID39905864
PMCPMC11907659

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.