title: A vanishing lymphoma in the cheek.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We describe the unusual case of a 66-year-old woman who presented with a cheek mass that completely abated with oral steroids.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multiple separate biopsies of the mass were negative or inconclusive. MRI revealed a large mass, yet after a short steroid course, this mass was completely undetectable on clinical examination. A repeat biopsy eventually revealed follicular lymphoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lymphomas are known to be steroid sensitive; the medication is an essential component of the common CHOP therapy. While known to occur in the central nervous system, to the best of our knowledge, the presence of a 'vanishing' lymphoma has not been documented in the head and neck. We discuss the likely physiology of the vanishing lymphoma, and the diagnostic difficulty it presents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When a lymphoma is suspected, patient care may be optimized if biopsy is delayed until steroids have been discontinued.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa., USA.
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Farquhar
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sobanko
authors.forename: Kimberly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Jason G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Newman
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D002610:Cheek; D005153:Facial Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008224:Lymphoma, Follicular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids