Authors' Response

We thank Brennan and colleagues for their comment in supporting our conclusion that dedicated neck lump clinics will achieve a higher yield of diagnostic neck node biopsies. Our paper referred to a time when there was no dedicated neck lump clinic and when there was limited use of fine needle aspiration cytology and ultrasound scanning. It was written to illustrate the problems that arise when there are no defined pathways of care and, as we concluded, may still represent a level of care in the absence of dedicated neck lump clinics.