Bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue lymphomas.
BACKGROUND
: Bronchus-associated Lymphoid Tissue (BALT) lymphomas are a rare type of extranodal marginal zone lymphomas. They comprise 1% of lymphomas and more than two-thirds of all primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) of the lung. BALT lymphomas arise from the bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue.


METHODS
This report describes five cases of BALT lymphoma and discusses the pathogenesis, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of BALT lymphomas.


RESULTS
In our cohort of patients, patients were managed with surgery, watchful waiting, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and chemoimmunotherapy. The outcomes are excellent and projected 5-year survival is 100%.


CONCLUSIONS
BALT lymphomas are associated with chronic inflammation, and they are often asymptomatic. They have an indolent course and the survival outcome is excellent with different treatment modalities such as surgery, watchful waiting, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy or chemoimmunotherapy.
Arnaoutakis
Konstantinos
K
St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02135, USA.
Oo
Thein H
TH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001984:Bronchial Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods; D018442:Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome