title: A case of primary mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma of the vagina.
abstract: We report the first case of primary mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma of the vagina, the diagnosis of which is supported by genetic and immunophenotypic studies. A 65-year-old, para 2 woman presented to our hospital in July 1997 with a history of prolonged vaginal discharge. Although cytologic examination suggested possible malignancy, a biopsy of the vaginal wall was diagnosed as chronic inflammation. In June 2000, she underwent gynecologic examination because of anuria. Excisional biopsy revealed subepithelial infiltration of atypical lymphoid cells that stained for CD20, CD79a, and BCL-2; stained weakly for IgM; and did not stain for CD3, CD5, CD7, CD10, CD56, CD23, and IgD, suggesting marginal zone B-cell lineage. Monoclonality was detected by Southern blot analysis, and this patient was finally diagnosed as having primary MALT lymphoma of the vagina. She received 3 cycles of chemotherapy (THP-COP) and concurrent radiation to the whole pelvis. The patient is alive and well 40 months after treatment. Because the vagina is one of the mucosa-associated tissues, MALT lymphoma, though rare, must be included in the differential diagnosis of the vaginal neoplasms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Kousuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshinaga
authors.forename: Jun-Ichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Akahira
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Niikura
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moriya
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Jun-Ichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kameoka
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ichinohasama
authors.forename: Kunihiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okamura
authors.forename: Nobuo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yaegashi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D015322:Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018442:Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D011878:Radiotherapy; D014625:Vaginal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD