Extranodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of MALT-type stage I.: A case report

Background: Extranodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are mostly localized in the gastrointestinal tract. A small number of these lymphoma arise from specialized lymphoid cells, the so-called mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT). We describe one case with a metachronous occurence of a MALT-type lymphoma of the conjunctiva of both eyelids and supraglottic larynx. Patient and Method: A 56-year old woman was first treated in August 1990 for a low-grade B-cell lymphoma in the conjunctiva of the left eyelid. 42 months later an extranodal B-cell lymphoma, located in the conjunctiva of the right eyelid, was found. After a father period of 48 months a MALT-type lymphoma arose in the supraglottic larynx. The findings of staging examinations were normal. The final diagnosis was low-grade B-cell Lymphoma of the MALT-type, limited to the conjunctival eyelids and supraglottic larynx, with the clinical staging of IE A. Treatment consisted of a LASER-resection followed by a locoregional radiotherapy, with the dose of 40 Gy. Results: Currently no evidence of disease (NED) at all sites can be proven. Conclusions: Extranodal, primary low grade B-cell MALT-type lymphoma are rare. In the literature only few cases of each larynx-and conjunctival eyelid involvment described. The radiotherapy has been reported to achieve a long time of relapse-free intervall. The present case demonstrates, that even the recurrence of an extranodal, primary low-grade B-cell MALT-type lymphoma responds well to local radiotherapy and can also have a long period of no evidence of disease.