title: Primary parotid gland lymphoma: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mucosa associated lymphoid tissue lymphomas are the most common lymphomas of the salivary glands. The benign lymphoepithelial lesion is also a lymphoproliferative disease that develops in the parotid gland. In the present case report, we describe one case of benign lymphoepithelial lesion with a subsequent low transformation to grade mucosa associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma appearing as a cystic mass in the parotid gland.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 78-year-old Caucasian female smoker was referred to our clinic with a non-tender left facial swelling that had been present for approximately three years. The patient underwent resection of the left parotid gland with preservation of the left facial nerve through a preauricular incision. The pathology report was consistent with a low-grade marginal-zone B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (mucosa associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma) following benign lymphoepithelial lesion of the gland.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Salivary gland mucosa associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of cystic or bilateral salivary gland lesions. Parotidectomy is recommended in order to treat the tumor and to ensure histological diagnosis for further follow-up planning. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy should be considered in association with surgery in disseminated forms or after removal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Propedeutic Surgery, 'LAIKO' General Hospital 17, Ag Thomas Street, Athens 11527, Greece. petros_konofaos@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Petros
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Konofaos
authors.forename: Eleftherios
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Spartalis
authors.forename: Paraskevas
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Katsaronis
authors.forename: Grigorios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kouraklis