Outcomes and progress of a well-designed one-stop head and neck lump clinic
Reviewed by Madhup K Chaurasia

With increasing caseload of head and neck cancer and the fact, as reported by UK Government in October 2024, that over half of these cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage, the need for early diagnosis and prompt management is crucial. To facilitate this, one-stop neck lump clinics have gradually been implemented across the UK. This study assesses the outcomes and progress of such a clinic over a 5-year period in terms of achieving prompt diagnosis and streamlining management decisions for patients with suspected head and neck cancer. In a single visit, this clinic provided specialist assessment, ultrasound/FNA and cytological evaluation where required. Of 2198 patients in 5 years, 93% achieved a diagnosis. Most of these were benign cases (56.2%). Abnormalities, such as reactive lymph nodes and benign parotid lesions, were present in 19.9% and confirmed malignancy was picked up in 15.2%, the commonest being SCC and lymphoma. The overall inadequacy rate of the 990 USS FNAs was 13.5%, decreasing from 16.7% in the first year to 8.3% in the 5th year, demonstrating a consistent yearly reduction. Whilst faster diagnosis ensures faster treatment, it is equally pertinent that over half of these attenders were assured of no malignancy in a single visit.

Five year outcome of a successfully implemented One Stop Neck Lump Clinic for head and neck cancer patients.
Lotfllah A, Singh K, Raphaelle B, et al.
J LARYNGOLOGY OTOL
2026;140:37–41.