Gomez-Rivera F, El-Naggar AK, Guha-Thakurta N, Kupferman ME. Rheumatoid arthritis mimicking metastatic squamous cell carcinoma. Head Neck Oncol. 2011 May 14;3:26.

We report a case of a cervical rheumatoid nodule in close relation to the hyoid bone mimicking a metastatic carcinoma. A 74-year-old female with a 15-year history of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on treatment with methotrexate presented with tenderness of the right base of tongue. Imaging demonstrated a 1.4 cm cystic lesion at the hyoid bone. Biopsies were unsuccessful and the patient required surgical resection of the mass. A trans-cervical approach was used. Pathology revealed a necrotizing granuloma compatible with rheumatoid etiology. The clinician should be aware that, in a patient with a neck mass, in the presence of active RA, rheumatoid nodules should be part of the differential diagnosis.
Source: Head and Neck Oncology - Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research