Bilateral conjunctival mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma misdiagnosed as allergic conjunctivitis.
OBJECTIVE
This report aimed to discuss two nearly identical cases of primary conjunctival mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma mimicking allergic conjunctivitis.


METHODS
Two patients were referred for intractability to conventional treatment of initial diagnoses of allergic conjunctivitis. On ocular examination, normally pigmented, giant papilla-like lesions were found bilaterally in the upper conjunctiva. Excisional biopsies were performed.


RESULTS
Histopathologic and immunohistochemical examination of the conjunctival biopsies indicated MALT lymphoma in both patients. The patients subsequently received radiation therapy and achieved complete remission with no evidence of recurrence during follow-up periods of 13 and 11 months.


CONCLUSIONS
Conjunctival low-grade lymphoma may share similar clinical features with allergic conjunctivitis. Ophthalmologists should be concerned that primary conjunctival low-grade malignant lymphoma can be misdiagnosed as allergic conjunctivitis
Lee
D H
DH
Department of Ophthalmology and Anatomic Pathology, Ilsan Paik Hospital, Ilsan, Korea. eyedr@netian.com
Sohn
H W
HW
Park
S H
SH
Kang
Y K
YK
D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D003230:Conjunctival Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D003233:Conjunctivitis, Allergic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018442:Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D008297:Male