Unexpected findings in the examination of lymph nodes from gastrointestinal cancer resection specimens

Abstract

Thorough lymph node examination is the standard of care for cancer resection specimens from the digestive system. Besides benign lymph node and metastatic tumor, there are also unexpected findings in the “presumed” lymph nodes. This short review focuses on four entities that are encountered in the examination of lymph nodes of the digestive system: endosalpingiosis involving the lymph node, benign squamous epithelial nest in peripancreatic lymph node, granular cell tumor and extra-adrenal paraganglioma identified in the perigastric and pericolonic lymphatic drainage areas, respectively, as presumed lymph node. The pathological features of these entities and differentiation from bona fide metastatic tumor are discussed.

Keywords

• Digestive system
• Lymph nodes
• Neoplasms
• Pathology
• Pancreas
• Colon