Nongastrointestinal low-grade mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma: analysis of 75 patients.
OBJECTIVE
Nongastrointestinal locations represent about 30% to 40% of all low-grade mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphomas. We report a retrospective analysis of 75 patients with nongastrointestinal low-grade MALT lymphoma, presenting their clinical, therapeutic, and follow-up data with respect to the initial location of the lymphoma.


METHODS
From January 1988 to October 1997, 75 patients with untreated nongastrointestinal low-grade MALT lymphoma were subjected to treatments ranging from local radiotherapy and local interferon alfa administration to chemotherapy. The lymphomas were located in the lung (19 patients), orbital soft tissue (16 patients), skin (seven patients), thyroid (seven patients), lachrymal gland (six patients), conjunctiva (six patients), salivary gland (six patients), breast (three patients), eyelid (two patients), larynx (one patient), bone marrow (one patient), and trachea (one patient).


RESULTS
Complete and partial remissions were achieved in 59 (79%) and 16 (21%) of the 75 patients, respectively, with an overall response rate of 100%. All but two of the patients are still alive, with a median follow-up of 47 months; these two patients died from other causes. The estimated time to treatment failure rate is 30% at 5 years. In the thyroid and lachrymal gland sites, no relapses were reported.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data regarding the largest reported series of nongastrointestinal MALT lymphomas confirm the good prognosis of this particular clinicopathologic entity and the significant efficacy of different therapeutic approaches to specific sites.
Zinzani
P L
PL
Institute of Hematology and Medical Oncology "Seràgnoli," University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. seragnol@kaiser.alma.unibo.it
Magagnoli
M
M
Galieni
P
P
Martelli
M
M
Poletti
V
V
Zaja
F
F
Molica
S
S
Zaccaria
A
A
Cantonetti
A M
AM
Gentilini
P
P
Guardigni
L
L
Gherlinzoni
F
F
Ribersani
M
M
Bendandi
M
M
Albertini
P
P
Tura
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018442:Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha