title: Extranodal lymphomas of head and neck with emphasis on NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the occurrence, clinical course and outcome of our patients with natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (NKTCL), nasal type. The nasal type of natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (NKTCL), is rare in the European population but is more frequent in Asia, Central and South America where it accounts for 15-20% of all non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL). This type of lymphoma is characterized by tissue necrosis and destruction of the nasal cavity and upper aero-digestive tract. The disease is closely associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and has an aggressive clinical course, poor clinical outcome and high resistance to chemotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  63 patients with NHL were treated in our department between 2006 and 2011. Eleven patients were diagnosed with extranodal lymphoma, 6 in the area of head and neck. Three of them belonged to NKTCL, nasal type group (4.7%), 1 was diffuse large B cell lymphoma and 2 were marginal zone lymphomas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Two out of 3 patients with nasal type NKTCL, had extremely aggressive disease resistant to applied chemotherapy (anthracycline containing regimen), while 1 patient remains in complete remission 6 years after diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine (Head: Samardzic Pejo, MD), General Hospital "Dr. Josip Bencevic", A. Stampara 42, 35000 Slavonski Brod, Croatia. Electronic address: bozena.coha@sb.t-com.hr.
authors.forename: Bozena
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Coha
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine (Head: Samardzic Pejo, MD), General Hospital "Dr. Josip Bencevic", A. Stampara 42, 35000 Slavonski Brod, Croatia.
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vucinic
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology (Head: Jakovina Krunoslav, MD), General Hospital "Dr. Josip Bencevic", Slavonski Brod, Croatia.
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mahovne
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology (Head: Janjetovic Zeljka, MD), General Hospital "Dr. Josip Bencevic", Slavonski Brod, Croatia.
authors.forename: Zeljka
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Vukovic-Arar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D018442:Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone / Q000601:surgery; D054391:Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell / Q000601:surgery*; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D009669:Nose Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D009918:Orbital Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D010255:Paranasal Sinus Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma; Nasal type