OBJECTIVETo study the clinical characteristics, the principles of diagnosis and surgical treatment for primary pulmonary lymphoma.

METHODTen patients with primary pulmonary lymphoma were treated surgically and their clinical characteristics, the experiences of clinical diagnosis and surgical treatment were analyzed. The tumors located in left upper lobe in 2, left lower lobe in 1, right upper lobe in 3, right middle lobe in 3 and right lower lobe in 1. The main symptoms were cough and (or) hemoptysis. Imageological representations (X-ray and CT scanning of thorax) were similar to primary pulmonary carcinoma. Broncho-fibroscopic examination was performed on all cases with negative findings. Eight cases were mistakenly diagnosed as primary pulmonary carcinoma by imageological representations. Only 2 cases were diagnosed as primary pulmonary lymphoma by percutaneous needle biopsy and pathologic examination. All cases received pneumonectomy, ipsilateral hilar and mediastinal lymphadenectomy. All cases with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma received regular chemotherapy (MOPP and ABVD scheme for 1 case with Hodgkin's disease respectively, CHOP for 8 cases with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma), and 3 cases received radiotherapy postoperatively.

RESULTSEight cases were non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (B-type) and 2 cases were Hodgkin's disease (mixed type) confirmed by pathological examination. Six cases with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (3 cases for stage IE, 2 cases for stage II 1E, and 1 case for stage II 2E W) had been surviving for 18-42 months until the follow-up. Two cases with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (stage II 2E, B-cell, low-grade) and 2 cases with Hodgkin's disease (stage IE and II 2E, mixed type) died in 24, 32, 8 and 17 months postoperatively respectively.

CONCLUSIONSPrimary pulmonary lymphoma is a rare type of malignant lung neoplasm without special clinical features. The preoperative diagnosis is difficult. Treatment modalities include surgical treatment, radiotherapy and regular chemotherapy postoperatively.