Value of flow cytometry with fine needle aspiration biopsy in patients with head and neck lymphoma.

Lymphomas frequently present in the head and neck clinically as painless adenopathy or as a swelling of an extranodal site, such as salivary gland or Waldeyer's ring. Most non-Hodgkin's lymphomas are B-cell neoplasms with distinctive clonal proteins that can be readily detected using flow cytometric analysis. In our experience, flow cytometric analysis has been a useful, convenient adjunct in the diagnosis of head and neck non-Hodgkin's lymphomas by fine needle aspiration biopsy.