Mesothelial cell deposits in lymph nodes —a diagnostic pitfall

Finding epithelioid keratin-positive cells in a lymph node poses little, if any, diagnostic challenge in a patient with known carcinoma. The same finding in a patient with no history of cancer raises a possibility of metastasis from unknown primary. Seeking an alternative explanation is critical, as the ramifications of the decisions in this situation are profound: stage IV malignancy vs benign.
Source: Annals of Diagnostic Pathology - Category: Pathology Authors: Tags: Correspondence Source Type: research