Primary natural killer/T-cell lymphomas of the oral cavity are aggressive neoplasms

• Published in: Virchows Archiv : an international journal of pathology Vol. 435; no. 4; pp. 400 - 406
• Main Authors: Yin, H F, Jamlikhanova, V, Okada, N, Takagi, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany 01.10.1999
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Herpesvirus 4, Human - isolation & purification; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Killer Cells, Natural - pathology; Killer Cells, Natural - virology; Lymphoma, B-Cell - chemistry; Lymphoma, B-Cell - pathology; Lymphoma, B-Cell - virology; Lymphoma, T-Cell - chemistry; Lymphoma, T-Cell - pathology; Lymphoma, T-Cell - virology; Male; Middle Aged; Mouth Neoplasms - chemistry; Mouth Neoplasms - pathology; Mouth Neoplasms - virology
• ISSN: 0945-6317; 1432-2307
• DOI: 10.1007/s004280050417

Thirty-four cases of primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the oral cavity were investigated for their clinical findings, histopathological features, immunophenotypes and association with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Four cases (12%) were natural killer/T-cell lymphomas, 3 (9%) were T-cell lymphomas and 27 (79%) were B-cell lymphomas. Compared with T- and B-cell lymphomas, NK/T-cell lymphomas had a male predominance (M:F 4:0), and most presented as ulceration of the palate and/or maxillary gingiva. Histologically, the lesions showed diffuse infiltration of medium-sized or large lymphoid tumour cells. Angiocentricity and/or angioinvasion were found in all 4 cases. The immunophenotypes of the NK/T-cell lymphomas were CD3+, CD43+, CD45RO+, CD56+ and TIA-1+. EBV was detected in 2 NK/T-cell lymphomas by in situ hybridization (ISH) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods, and was not detected in T- and B-cell lymphomas. The survival rate of patients with NK/T-cell lymphoma was zero, but the survival rates for patients with T-cell and B-cell lymphomas were 67% and 38%, respectively. It appears that NK/T-cell lymphomas of the oral cavity have a predilection for originating in the palate and maxillary gingiva and are aggressive neoplasms. EBV positivity might be associated with more aggressive behaviour.