Hyaline‐vascular and plasma‐cell types of giant lymph node hyperplasia of the mediastinum and other locations

A clinicopathologic analysis of 81 cases of giant lymph node hyperplasia was undertaken, with review of previously reported cases. Most of the lesions were intrathoracic. The lesions were discovered most often on routine roentgeno-grams of the chest or because of pressure symptoms or the presence of a palpable mass if outside the thorax. Evidence is presented that the lesions are enlarged, hyperplastic, altered lymph nodes. They have been divided into 2 histologic types: the hyaline-vascular lesions, which were most numerous, were characterized by small hyaline-vascular follicles and interfollicular capillary proliferation; the plasma-cell lesions were characterized by large follicles with intervening sheets of plasma cells. Systemic manifestations, such as fever, anemia, and hyperglobulinemia, were frequently associated with the plasma-cell lesions. These clinical signs and other data presented appear to favor an infectious or inflammatory etiology. All the lesions have behaved in a benign fashion, and complete surgical excision has been curative.