¿Qué haría usted ante un paciente adulto que consulta por una tumoración cervical? / What would you do with an adult patient who complains of a neck mass?

Las tumoraciones cervicales son un motivo de consulta frecuente en Atención Primaria. La etiología de estas tumoraciones es muy diversa y engloba patología maligna. El reto fundamental para el médico de Atención Primaria es identificar los casos que son secundarios a tumores malignos o enfermedades graves. Un buen conocimiento de la anatomía del cuello, asociado a una buena anamnesis y a exploración física, nos permitirán llegar a una correcta orientación diagnóstica en la mayoría de los casos y, si es necesario, a seleccionar las pruebas complementarias adecuadas o a derivar al siguiente nivel asistencial, y con qué grado de prioridad, en función de la sospecha diagnóstica. El linfoma debuta con frecuencia con adenopatías cervicales como primera manifestación clínica, como es el caso de nuestro paciente. Tras la revisión del tema, aportamos un algoritmo de ayuda para el abordaje clínico (U)

Family physicians frequently encounter patients with neck mass. There are multiple causes that range from no clinical importance to malignant tumours. The critical challenge for the primary care physician is to identify which cases are secondary to malignancies or other serious conditions. With a good knowledge of the complex anatomy of the neck and a careful clinical history, including a complete physical examination, the different causes can be narrowed down, as well as to differentiate between significant and non-significant neck masses and select the appropriate studies. Lymphoma commonly presents as a painless enlarged lump in the neck, as in the case of the patient presented. An algorithm is provided to help practioners (AU)

[What would you do with an adult patient who complains of a neck mass?]. / ¿Qué haría usted ante un paciente adulto que consulta por una tumoración cervical?

Family physicians frequently encounter patients with neck mass. There are multiple causes that range from no clinical importance to malignant tumours. The critical challenge for the primary care physician is to identify which cases are secondary to malignancies or other serious conditions. With a good knowledge of the complex anatomy of the neck and a careful clinical history, including a complete physical examination, the different causes can be narrowed down, as well as to differentiate between significant and non-significant neck masses and select the appropriate studies. Lymphoma commonly presents as a painless enlarged lump in the neck, as in the case of the patient presented. An algorithm is provided to help practioners.