Primary Laryngeal Lymphoma

Abstract

Primary laryngeal lymphoma is a very rare entity, with fewer than 50 cases reported in the English literature in the past 60 years. Close scrutiny of some of these case reports reveals that the larynx was not always the only site of involvement, thereby diminishing the total number of patients with primary laryngeal lymphoma to fewer than 35. The authors report a series of six patients, who were seen and evaluated at the Mayo Clinic between 1952 and 1995, with stage IAE non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the larynx. Three patients had large-cell lymphomas according to the REAL (Revised European-American Lymphoid) classification. The other three had a small lymphocytic lymphoma, follicular small cleaved lymphoma, and follicular mixed lymphoma. All patients received radiation therapy alone as initial therapy for their disease and all patients had a complete remission to initial therapy. Four patients subsequently relapsed and the histology at relapse was the same as the initial histology in all four patients. Five patients have died, three of lymphoma, with a median survival of 67 months (range, 40 to 228 months). In view of the heterogeneity of histologies in this group of lymphomas, the variability in duration of response, and the significant number of patients who died of their disease, it is more likely that primary laryngeal lymphoma is an unusual presentation of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma than a separate disease entity. Despite the small number of patients in this study, the data would suggest that patients are best treated according to the histology of the lymphoma, rather than the limited stage and location of the disease.

A Systematic Overview of Radiation Therapy Effects in Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

“…Patients with aggressive lymphoma managed with radiotherapy alone have a high frequency of relapse mostly outside the treated field. A review of retrospective data from different institutions supports the use of combined modality treatment in these patients (68).…”

“…Thyroid lymphoma occurs more frequently in women than in men and is commonly associated with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. The predominant histology is diffuse large Bcell lymphoma but indolent malignant lymphoma of MALT type occur in about 25% (68,69).…”

Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma of Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue

“…Autoimmunity The Oncologist ® also seems to be implicated in the pathogenesis of non-GI lesions. In the salivary gland and the thyroid, the development of lymphoma is preceded by autoimmune processes such as myoepithelial sialadenitis [117] and Hashimoto's thyroiditis [118], respectively.…”

Non Hodgkins Lymphoma: Larynx

“…In view of the heterogeneity of histologies in this group of lymphomas, the variability in duration of response, and the significant number of patients who died of their disease, it is more likely that primary laryngeal lymphoma is an unusual presentation of nonHodgkin's lymphoma than a separate disease entity. Despite the small number of patients in this study, the data would suggest that patients are best treated according to the histology of the lymphoma, rather than the limited stage and location of the disease [7].…”