The stomach is the most common primary site of an extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) type, which is characterized by an indolent clinical course. A diagnosis of gastric MALT lymphoma requires an endoscopic biopsy that should be confirmed by an experienced pathologist. Gastric MALT lymphoma shows a variable endoscopic appearance, including erosion, erythema, discoloration, atrophy, ulcer, and subepithelial lesion. The distribution is often multifocal. Therefore, clinical suspicion and multiple biopsies are essential for an accurate diagnosis. Gastric MALT lymphoma is almost invariably associated with a Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. H. pylori eradication therapy is the mainstay of treatment, which must be delivered to all patients regardless of the H. pylori infection status or stage. For patients who have failed to achieve remission following eradication therapy, radiotherapy or chemotherapy can be considered. Radiotherapy is an effective treatment modality for a localized stage and shows excellent outcomes. In the presence of disseminated or advanced disease, chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy with the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, rituximab, can be applied. Treatment should be individualized according to the stage and symptoms, as well as the patients' preference. Given that the clinical course of gastric MALT lymphoma is usually indolent, watchful waiting may be an adequate strategy in selected cases where scheduled follow-up is guaranteed.
Atrophy ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Erythema ; Follow-Up Studies ; Helicobacter pylori ; Humans ; Immunotherapy ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone ; Radiotherapy ; Rituximab ; Stomach ; Ulcer ; Watchful Waiting

PURPOSE: To report a case where bilateral malignant retrobulbar lymphoma was diagnosed after repetitive intraocular lens dislocation to the anterior chamber. CASE SUMMARY: An 85-year-old male with a history of stroke who had undergone cataract surgery 10 years ago at another hospital presented with repeated intraocular lens (IOL) dislocations of both eyes into the anterior chamber. He had previously undergone IOL scleral fixation once in his left eye and twice in his right eye, but IOL dislocation was still repeatedly occurring. The best-corrected visual acuity was 0.4 in both eyes. Hertel exophthalmetry was 20 mm in his right eye and 18 mm in his left eye. Painless limitation of motion at supraduction was observed in the right eye. Funduscopy showed newly appeared choroidal folding in the right eye, so orbital computed tomography (CT) with contrast was performed. The CT scans showed bilateral homogenously enhancing retrobulbar masses. Biopsy of the masses showed a MALToma. After radiation therapy, the choroidal folds resolved and exophthalmetry improved to 10 mm in both eyes. No additional IOL dislocation occurred. During 2.5 years of follow-up, there was no evidence of recurrence or distant metastasis of the MALToma. CONCLUSIONS: Orbital lymphomas can cause lid edema, exophthalmos, strabismus, and diplopia, and can be diagnosed with imaging modalities such as CT. Final diagnosis involves biopsy and radiation therapy or chemotherapy. If IOL dislocation occurs repeatedly, it may result from an increase in retrobulbar pressure, and concurrent choroidal folding using funduscopy is strongly recommended for imaging to check for the presence of retrobulbar masses.
Aged, 80 and over ; Anterior Chamber ; Biopsy ; Cataract ; Choroid ; Diagnosis ; Diplopia ; Dislocations* ; Drug Therapy ; Edema ; Exophthalmos ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lenses, Intraocular* ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone* ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Orbit ; Recurrence ; Strabismus ; Stroke ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Visual Acuity

Primary central nervous system marginal zone B-cell lymphoma (MZBCL) is very rare, with only a few reported cases worldwide. It has an indolent disease course with high cure potential. We experienced a rare case of dural MZBCL of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) in a 69-year-old man who presented with headache. A magnetic resonance imaging scan of brain showed a 1.9×3.6-cm-sized extra-axial mass with a broad based dural attachment to the anterosuperior aspect of the falx cerebri, radiographically consistent with meningioma. Surgical resection yielded a MZBCL of the MALT type. Histopathology revealed a lymphoplasmacytic infiltration of the dura, and immunohistochemical study showed a B-cell phenotype with CD20, bcl-2, MUM-1, Ki-67 positive. He was treated with chemotherapy after complete surgical resection and remained free of disease at 30 months after chemotherapy. MALT lymphoma must be considered in the differential diagnosis in patients presenting radiographically with meningioma.
Aged ; B-Lymphocytes ; Brain ; Central Nervous System ; Central Nervous System Neoplasms ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drug Therapy ; Dura Mater ; Headache ; Humans ; Lymphoid Tissue ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Meningioma ; Phenotype

Primary central nervous system marginal zone B-cell lymphoma (MZBCL) is very rare, with only a few reported cases worldwide. It has an indolent disease course with high cure potential. We experienced a rare case of dural MZBCL of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) in a 69-year-old man who presented with headache. A magnetic resonance imaging scan of brain showed a 1.9×3.6-cm-sized extra-axial mass with a broad based dural attachment to the anterosuperior aspect of the falx cerebri, radiographically consistent with meningioma. Surgical resection yielded a MZBCL of the MALT type. Histopathology revealed a lymphoplasmacytic infiltration of the dura, and immunohistochemical study showed a B-cell phenotype with CD20, bcl-2, MUM-1, Ki-67 positive. He was treated with chemotherapy after complete surgical resection and remained free of disease at 30 months after chemotherapy. MALT lymphoma must be considered in the differential diagnosis in patients presenting radiographically with meningioma.
Aged ; B-Lymphocytes ; Brain ; Central Nervous System ; Central Nervous System Neoplasms ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drug Therapy ; Dura Mater ; Headache ; Humans ; Lymphoid Tissue ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Meningioma ; Phenotype

Primary thyroid lymphoma (PTL) is a relatively rare disease, accounting for less than 0.5~5% of all thyroid malignancies. We encountered two cases of a primary thyroid lymphoma with Hashimoto's thyroiditis; one in a 63-year-old man and the other in a 79-year-old woman. The first case was a mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, and the other was a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Both patients underwent surgery and radiotherapy after being diagnosed using fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). Both patients recovered well with no recurrence throughout the study period. The role of the surgeon in the treatment and diagnosis of thyroid lymphoma has been reduced due to the development of FNAC and combination therapy with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. On the other hand, surgery can be an effective treatment option for PTL confined to the thyroid, for achieving a definitive diagnosis, and in the treatment of patients with an airway obstruction.
Aged ; Airway Obstruction ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy* ; Female ; Hand ; Humans ; Lymphoma* ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone ; Middle Aged ; Radiotherapy ; Rare Diseases ; Recurrence ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroidectomy ; Thyroiditis

PURPOSE: To report a case of lacrimal gland mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma in a patient with primary Sjögren's syndrome and Behcet's disease. CASE SUMMARY: A 49-year-old female patient with primary Sjögren's syndrome and Behcet's disease presented with a one-year history of painless upper and lower eyelid swelling in her right eye. Lacrimal gland incisional biopsy was performed, and the patient was diagnosed with malignant lymphoma (extranodal marginal zone B cell lymphoma of MALT). No distant metastases were detected on whole-body computed tomography or positron emission tomography, and the patient was treated with Rituximab, Cyclophosphamide, Vincristine, Prednisone (R-CVP) regimen chemotherapy. After 8 consecutive chemotherapy cycles, her eyelids appeared normal externally, and partial regression was found radiologically. CONCLUSIONS: The possibility of MALT lymphoma should be considered as a differential diagnosis if patients with autoimmune diseases such as primary Sjögren's syndrome show eyelid swelling or palpable mass.
Autoimmune Diseases ; Biopsy ; Cyclophosphamide ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drug Therapy ; Eyelids ; Female ; Humans ; Lacrimal Apparatus* ; Lymphoid Tissue ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone* ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Prednisone ; Rituximab ; Vincristine

Pulmonary mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma is a rare disease and usually presents as pulmonary masses, mass-like consolidation, or pulmonary nodules on chest images. We report a case of a 43-year-old man with symptoms of chronic cough for 1 year, showing bilateral diffuse bronchovascular bundle thickening and focal ground glass opacities on a chest computed tomography scan. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery was performed and the final pathologic diagnosis was pulmonary MALT lymphoma. Concurrent involvement of the pancreas was discovered during staging workup. After diagnosis, he was treated with cytotoxic chemotherapy and rituximab and showed improvements in his lung lesion and pancreas.
Adult ; Cough ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Glass* ; Humans ; Lung ; Lymphoid Tissue ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone* ; Pancreas* ; Rare Diseases ; Rituximab ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted ; Thorax

It is often difficult to differentiate gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma from Helicobacter pylori-associated follicular gastritis, and thus, it becomes unclear how to manage these diseases. This study aimed to explore the management strategy for and the long-term outcomes of suspicious gastric MALT lymphoma detected by forceps biopsy during screening upper endoscopy. Between October 2003 and May 2013, consecutive subjects who were diagnosed with suspicious gastric MALT lymphomas by screening endoscopy in a health checkup program in Korea were retrospectively enrolled. Suspicious MALT lymphoma was defined as a Wotherspoon score of 3 or 4 upon pathological evaluation of the biopsy specimen. Of 105,164 subjects who underwent screening endoscopies, 49 patients with suspicious MALT lymphomas who underwent subsequent endoscopy were enrolled. Eight patients received a subsequent endoscopy without H. pylori eradication (subsequent endoscopy only group), and 41 patients received H. pylori eradication first followed by endoscopy (eradication first group). MALT lymphoma development was significantly lower in the eradication first group (2/41, 4.9%) than in the subsequent endoscopy only group (3/8, 37.5%, P = 0.026). Notably, among 35 patients with successful H. pylori eradication, there was only one MALT lymphoma patient (2.9%) in whom complete remission was achieved, and there was no recurrence during a median 45 months of endoscopic follow-up. H. pylori eradication with subsequent endoscopy would be a practical management option for suspicious MALT lymphoma detected in a forceps biopsy specimen obtained during screening upper endoscopy.
Adult ; Aged ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use ; Biopsy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastric Mucosa/*pathology ; Gastritis/diagnosis/etiology/microbiology ; Gastroscopy ; Helicobacter Infections/complications/*diagnosis/drug therapy ; Humans ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone/complications/*diagnosis/pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Republic of Korea ; Retrospective Studies

The sandwich sign is used to describe mesenteric lymphoma in which mesenteric vessels and fat are enveloped by enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes. We present two cases of primary pleural lymphoma demonstrating the "pleural sandwich sign". Contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed conglomerated parietal pleural and extrapleural masses encasing the intercostal arteries. Histopathological examinations confirmed low grade marginal zone B-cell lymphoma in an 80-year-old man and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in a 68-year-old man. The pleural sandwich sign may suggest the diagnosis of primary pleural lymphoma.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Antigens, CD20/metabolism ; Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use ; Humans ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone/*diagnosis/drug therapy/metabolism ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse/*diagnosis ; Male ; Pleura/*pathology ; Pleural Neoplasms/*diagnosis/drug therapy/metabolism/pathology ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Korea and Japan show the highest incidence of gastric cancer and Helicobacter pylori infection. New 2013 guidelines on H. pylori infection differ between the two countries with regard to the indications for H. pylori eradication, diagnostic methods, and treatment regimens. Indications for eradication in Korean guideline focus on specific diseases such as peptic ulcer disease, low-grade gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, and after resection of early gastric cancer, while Japanese guideline includes all H. pylori-associated gastritis for the prevention of dissemination. With regard to the diagnosis, either noninvasive or invasive method (except for bacterial culture) is recommended in Korea, while two noninvasive tests including serum anti-H. pylori IgG antibody level are preferred in Japan. As for the treatment regimens, second-line treatment (quadruple bismuth-containing regimen) is recommended without first-line triple therapy in areas of high clarithromycin resistance in Korea. However, there is no bismuth-based second-line treatment in Japan, and the Japanese regimen consists of a lower dose of antibiotics for a shorter duration (7 days). Such discrepancies between the two countries are based not only on the differences in the literature search and interpretation, but also on the different approvals granted by the national health insurance system, manufacturing process of the antibiotics, and diagnostic techniques in each country. Collaborations are required to minimize the discrepancies between the two countries based on cost-effectiveness.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology/*therapeutic use ; Antibodies/blood ; Bismuth/pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Disease Eradication/trends ; Drug Administration Schedule ; Guidelines as Topic ; Helicobacter Infections/complications/diagnosis/*drug therapy ; *Helicobacter pylori/drug effects/immunology ; Humans ; Japan ; Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone/complications/surgery ; Republic of Korea ; Stomach Neoplasms/complications/surgery