Primary Thymic Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Lymphoma: Diagnostic Tips

Abstract

Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma arising in the thymus is extremely rare and little is known regarding its clinicopathological features. This study examined the clinicopathological features of nine cases of thymic MALT lymphoma. Most patients had autoimmune disease or hyperglobulinemia, and they also had cysts in the tumors. Both increased serum autoantibody levels and polyclonal serum immunoglobulin levels remained essentially unchanged after total thymectomy in all patients. Thymic MALT lymphoma needs to be included in the differential diagnosis in Asian patients with a cystic thymic mass accompanied by autoimmune disease or hyperglobulinemia.

Amyloid deposition in thymic extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa‐associated lymphoid tissue in a patient with myasthenia gravis: A case report

“…Shimizu et al . reported that thymic MALT lymphoma should be considered as a differential diagnosis in Asian patients who have a cystic thymic mass and anautoimmune disease . In our case, there was a suspicious cystic component within the mass.…”

“…Marginal zone MALT lymphoma is a mature B-cell neoplasm that occurs in various extranodal tissues. Thymic MALT lymphoma is very rare, 2,8,9 although it is more common in Asian populations. 2,8 Most patients with thymic MALT lymphoma also have autoimmune disorders, most commonly Sjögren's syndrome.…”

“…Thymic extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosaassociated lymphoid tissue (MALT) is a rare disease first described by Isaacson et al 1 Clinically, thymic MALT lymphoma is associated with autoimmune diseases and chronic inflammation, in particular Sjögren's syndrome. 2 Amyloid deposition in MALT lymphoma is unusual and few cases have been reported. [3][4][5][6] However, there have been no reports on amyloid deposition in thymic MALT lymphoma.…”

Thymic Mucosa-associated Lymphoid Tissue Lymphoma in an Adolescent Girl

“…The patient remained in CR at 3 years from diagnosis 5 ( Table 1). 20 All were Asians, and most of them had evidence of autoimmunity such as rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, Sjogren syndrome, or hyperglobinemia. Treatment details were available for only 9/16 patients; 5 of them received local radiation, 2 underwent chemotherapy, and 2 had excision with close follow-up.…”

“…One of the largest case series on marginal zone BCLs in children and young adults was reported by Taddesse-Heath et al 6 Thirty-three percent (16/48) were diagnosed as EMZL, 4 of whom were children. 20 Thymic MALT lymphomas are generally not associated with API2-MALT1 gene fusion, which represents t(11;18)(q21;q21) typically seen in MALT lymphomas of the stomach or t(14;18) in conjunctival tumors. Most patients had no sign of recurrence with a follow-up time ranging from 1 to 24 months.…”