Pathology of Peripheral Lymph Node Biopsies in Kano, Northern Nigeria

Background: Lymphadenopathy is a common clinical problem here in Kano, Northern Nigeria but there has been no formal study. We therefore undertook this review to evaluate the pattern in our locality. Method: This is a seven-year (1998-2004) retrospective review of all histologically diagnosed lymph node biopsies received at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano. Results: Cervical, axillary and inguinal nodes were the most frequently biopsied accounting for 46%, 23% and 13%, while tuberculosis, lymphomas and metastases were the most commonly diagnosed lesions comprising 30%, 24% and 19% respectively. In general, benign lesions were more common constituting 57% of nodal biopsies. Lymphadenopathy was observed to be most prevalent in the first three decades. Conclusion: Our findings were broadly similar to most other Nigerian studies and slightly at variance with other African countries but significantly different from the Western World. The limitations of lymph node histopathology in the absence of modern molecular diagnostic techniques are highlighted.