Cytodiagnosis of microfilarial lymphadenitis coexistent with metastatic squamous cell carcinoma in a left cervical lymph node: An unusual presentation

Filariasis is one of the parasitic diseases endemic in India, manifesting as acute, chronic or asymptomatic disease. Wuchereria bancrofti accounts for 90% of cases. Microfilaria in fine-needle aspiration cytology is not a common finding. It has been occasionally detected in association with neoplasms. Coexistence with metastatic deposits is even rarer on cytology. We found it incidentally in metastasis to cervical lymph node from squamous cell carcinoma growing in the middle third of the esophagus on fine-needle aspiration (FNA). This patient presented with left-sided neck swelling for 2 months and complete hemogram and peripheral blood smear were normal. We report this case for the rarity of pathology.