Incidence of Malignancy in Unilateral Tonsillar Enlargement Over a Period of 10 Years

Objective To determine the incidence of carcinoma in patients with unilateral tonsillar enlargement. Study Design: A clinical retrospective case series based on medical records of our medical college. Results During a ten-year period, 495 patients underwent tonsillectomy at various medical colleges in western Uttar Pradesh. 29(5.9) of those patients had asymmetrical enlargement of their tonsils, three of whom had suspicious clinical findings at presentation. The latter were found to have tonsillar malignancy on histopathological testing. Malignancy was excluded in all other specimen. Conclusions Since the incidence of malignancy in asymmetrical tonsils is negligible in the absence of other associated risk factors, watchful waiting may be appropriate prior to any surgical intervention. Diagnostic tonsillectomy is indicated in patients with asymmetrical tonsillar enlargement with associated suspicious clinical findings, including cervical lymphadenopathy and rapid tonsillar enlargement.