title: [Primary thymic lymphomas].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Primary thymic lymphomas (PTLs) are uncommon, and their prognosis is linked with early treatment. A review is carried out of this disease in our hospital in order to determine the best diagnostic-therapeutic management for these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten LPTs--four Hodgkin's and six non-Hodgkin's (4 primary mediastinal B lymphomas [PMBLs] and 2 lymphoblastic T lymphomas [LTLs]--were reviewed. Most of the patients were females, with a mean age of 23 +/- 10 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The initial diagnostic suspicion in the Hodgkin's lymphomas was thymoma in two cases and lymphoma in the other 2. All of them underwent surgery, including an intra-operative biopsy, which was completed with a thymectomy in the two in which thymoma was reported. They were treated with radio and chemotherapy. The response was partial in two cases, and treatment was completed with a bone marrow transplant (BMT) (one died and the other had active disease). The non-Hodgkin's lymphomas had large tumors and short evolution. All of them received surgery, with an intra-operative biopsy in four and a thymectomy in two. They were treated with chemotherapy, with associated radiotherapy in two. The response was total in three, with two recurring, who are in complete remission after a BMT. In the other three the response was partial.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a patient with thymic tumour with a preoperative or intraoperative study suspected of having a lymphoma, it is necessary to do a biopsy and not resective surgery, to avoid unnecessary resections and morbidity. PTLs are uncommon but aggressive, principally the non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. The main treatment is radio and chemotherapy, with associated bone marrow transplantation in selected cases.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Cirugía, Servicio de Cirugía Torácica, Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca, El Palmar, Murcia, Espana. ARZRIOS@teleline.es
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ríos
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Roca
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Galindo
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Parrilla
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D013934:Thymectomy; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy