Clinicopathological study of cervical metastasis from unknown primary carcinoma

—Relation of cytology from tonsil—

Abstract

Clinical features of 9 cases of cervical metastasis from an unknown primary carcinoma found by tonsillectomy between 1980 and 2009 were reviewed. Every case indicated a pathological finding of cancer cells in the tonsil lacuna. This pathological evidence suggested the cytological examination of two recent cases of tonsil lacuna. One case had class IV cytology. These results indicate that cytology from the tonsil lacuna is a relevant method for detecting a primary lesion of the tonsils.