[Natural killer cell nasal lymphoma mimicking localized Wegener's disease].
BACKGROUND
Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the nasal cavity is particular. Pathological characteristics mainly associate a prevalent NK lymphocyte phenotype, a frequent exposure to the Epstein-Barr virus and a poor sensitivity to radiotherapy compared to other lymph node localizations.


METHODS
The authors report the case of a 38-year-old man. The patient had previously presented a chronic maxillary sinusitis. After a diagnosis of Wegener's disease, the poor course under therapy resulted in a nasal lymphoma. Natural killer cell nasal lymphoma was confirmed with a leading biopsy at the same time as a serious clinical outcome. The patient died of septic shock with multivisceral failure.


CONCLUSIONS
The two differential diagnoses of ulcerative lymphoma of the midface are ulcerative infectious diseases and Wegener's disease. We must not miss this severe disease, with its poor prognosis and variable, though sometimes rapid speed of evolution.
Dilhuydy
M S
MS
Service de médecine interne et maladies infectieuses, centre François-Magendie, hôpital Haut-Lévêque, 33604 Pessac, France.
Mercié
P
P
Viallard
J F
JF
Dumont
T
T
Soubeyran
I
I
Faure
I
I
Leng
B
B
Pellegrin
J L
JL
D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D014890:Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009669:Nose Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D010641:Phenotype; D011379:Prognosis; D012772:Shock, Septic; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000209:etiology