title: Follicular Lymphoma Presenting Solely as Chronic Follicular Conjunctivitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Conjunctival lymphoma rarely can have atypical clinical presentations. The authors report a case of conjunctival follicular lymphoma that presented solely as bilateral chronic follicular conjunctivitis. This case underscores that the pathological characteristics of conjunctival follicles can only be determined by histopathologic examination.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patient underwent conjunctival scraping and biopsy after clinical history and examination failed to reveal the etiology of his chronic, symptomatic, follicular conjunctivitis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Histopathologic and immunohistochemical testing disclosed a bilateral low-grade conjunctival follicular lymphoma. The patient was treated with radiation therapy and remained in remission clinically 6 months after the treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although rare, conjunctival lymphoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of chronic follicular conjunctivitis. This case is unique and further supports the notion that tissue biopsy may be needed for chronic, symptomatic conjunctivitis of unknown etiology.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ; †Department of Ophthalmology, General Hospital of Shenyang Military Area Command, Shenyang, Liaoning, China; and ‡Department of Pathology, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ.
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Duncan
authors.forename: Yingxin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cantu
authors.forename: Mingwu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D003230:Conjunctival Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003231:Conjunctivitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008224:Lymphoma, Follicular / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged