Adult Lateral Neck Cysts
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Managing Adult Patients Presenting With a Lateral Neck Cyst.
IRAS ID
265013
Contact name
Gareth Jones
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Deputy Director of R&D Aintree University Hospitals
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 3 months, 1 days
Research summary
This is a large retrospective case series of adult patients presenting with lateral neck cyst to a busy head and neck unit. Human Papilloma Virus induced squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aero-digestive tract is becoming more prevalent and affecting younger patients. Current practice when seeing these patients for the first time is to take a history, conduct a focus examination of the head and neck and arrange investigations including scans and a fine needle biopsy (cytology). A diagnostic dilemma exists because clinically, radiologically and cytologically benign cysts and cancerous cysts appear similar. The treatment for benign and cancerous cysts varies greatly so accurate diagnosis is critical. Often to obtain a definitive diagnosis the cyst has to be surgically removed for histological analysis. This analysis takes roughly one week to complete. There is a belief among head and neck cancer physicians that a focussed operation to remove the cyst compromises the efficacy of cancer treatment if cancer is subsequently found during the histological analysis.
We would like to review the records of all our adult patients presenting with a lateral neck cyst in the last 10 years. We will collect data on patient demographics, the investigations they received, how long it took to confirm the final diagnosis, what the final diagnosis was and their subsequent survival rate. Currently management of these patient is heterogeneous. We hope to discover which patient factors and investigations are useful for this condition in order to standardise the investigative pathway.REC name
London - Bromley Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/LO/1603
Date of REC Opinion
7 Nov 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion