title: Primary natural killer/T-cell lymphomas of the oral cavity are aggressive neoplasms.
abstract: Thirty-four cases of primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the oral cavity were investigated for their clinical findings, histopathological features, immunophenotypes and association with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Four cases (12%) were natural killer/T-cell lymphomas, 3 (9%) were T-cell lymphomas and 27 (79%) were B-cell lymphomas. Compared with T- and B-cell lymphomas, NK/T-cell lymphomas had a male predominance (M:F 4:0), and most presented as ulceration of the palate and/or maxillary gingiva. Histologically, the lesions showed diffuse infiltration of medium-sized or large lymphoid tumour cells. Angiocentricity and/or angioinvasion were found in all 4 cases. The immunophenotypes of the NK/T-cell lymphomas were CD3+, CD43+, CD45RO+, CD56+ and TIA-1+. EBV was detected in 2 NK/T-cell lymphomas by in situ hybridization (ISH) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods, and was not detected in T- and B-cell lymphomas. The survival rate of patients with NK/T-cell lymphoma was zero, but the survival rates for patients with T-cell and B-cell lymphomas were 67% and 38%, respectively. It appears that NK/T-cell lymphomas of the oral cavity have a predilection for originating in the palate and maxillary gingiva and are aggressive neoplasms. EBV positivity might be associated with more aggressive behaviour.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Faculty of Dentistry, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jamlikhanova
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takagi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology