Primary thyroid lymphoma: a retrospective analysis of prognostic factors and treatment outcome for localized intermediate and high grade lymphoma

The Relationship Between Primary Thyroid Lymphoma and Various Types of Thyroid Autoimmunity: A Retrospective Cohort Study of 498 Cases, Including 9 Cases with Graves' Disease

Background: Primary thyroid lymphoma (PTL) is known to develop mostly in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), and it is rare for it to develop in patients with Graves' disease (GD). The objective of this study was to investigate the clinical features, pathological findings, and long-term outcomes of PTL patients, grouped according to the presence of GD, HT, or no autoimmune thyroid disease (AITDs). The GD group was of major interest due to limited knowledge of the relationship with PTL. Methods: In this single-center retrospective cohort study, we reviewed the medical records of all patients diagnosed with PTL between August 1979 and October 2021, and we characterized the patients according to the presence of HT, GD, or no AITDs. Pathological specimens were classified according to the World Health Organization classification. Staging was performed in accordance with the Ann Arbor classification. Results: During the 42-year period, 498 participants were diagnosed with PTL. The median age was 68 (interquartile range 61-76) years, and 221 patients were stage IE, whereas the remaining 277 patients were stage IIE. Of the PTL patients, 431 (86.6%) were diagnosed with HT, 9 (1.8%) were diagnosed with GD, and 58 (11.6%) did not have AITDs. All nine patients with GD were positive for anti-thyroglobulin antibody and/or anti-thyroid peroxidase antibody. All patients with GD were treated with anti-thyroid medication. There were no significant differences in the proportions of each subtype of PTL between the PTL patients with GD and all subjects with PTL (p = 0.51), PTL patients with HT (p = 0.51), or PTL patients without AITDs (p = 0.48). The median follow-up time was 6.2 (interquartile range 3.0-10.7) years after the diagnosis of PTL. The Kaplan-Meier curve analyses showed no significant differences in overall survival and event-free survival between PTL patients with GD and those with HT (p = 0.37), or between PTL patients with GD and those without AITDs (p = 0.43). Conclusions: The PTL was observed with HT in a majority of cases, and rarely with GD (1.8%). The proportions of each pathological subtype of PTL and the prognosis of PTL were not different between the patients with GD and those with HT or those without AITDs.

Diagnosis methods and treatment strategy for primary thyroid lymphoma: a retrospective analysis of 41 cases in China

Primary thyroid lymphoma (PTL) is a rare malignant tumor. It can manifest as a rapidly growing mass and produce various compression symptoms. However, PTL is easily missed or misdiagnosed for the lack of standardized diagnostic methods. Therefore, it is very necessary to analyze the diagnosis methods and treatment strategy of PTL to clarify the guide of diagnosis and treatment. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed PTL patients to determine their clinical, ultrasound and histological features. Forty-one PTL cases were analyzed. The pathological results of all cases were B-cell-derived non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. In these patients, 12 were mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphomas, and 24 were diffuse large B-cell lymphomas. Through the analysis of the clinical, ultrasonographic and histological features of 41 patients with PTL, and the discussion of treatment strategies, we support that middle-aged women with a history of Hashimoto's thyroiditis should pay more attention to the possibility of PTL if they have a swelling neck. Thyroid function tests and neck ultrasound are routine examinations. Core biopsy is an important diagnostic method. PTL treatment is mainly based on radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and surgery is not the first choice.

The diagnosis of primary thyroid lymphoma by fine-needle aspiration, cell block, and immunohistochemistry technique

AIM

Primary thyroid lymphoma (PTL) is a rare malignant disease. Its prognosis depends on early diagnosis. The role of fine-needle aspiration (FNA), including smear cytology, cell block (CB) techniques, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) sections in the diagnosis of PTL is still unclear. Here we reported 19 cases of PTL and literature review to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy for lymphoma by cytology.

METHODS

Our study retrospectively reviewed 19 patients diagnosed with PTL at the affiliated hospital of Southwest Medical University in China from June 2011 to May 2019. According to the Bethesda system for reporting thyroid cytopathology, the CB sections were evaluated for the presence of single tumor cells. IHC was performed on CB.

RESULTS

The diagnostic accuracy for PTL of FNA, CB with smears, and the joint application of the three methods (FNA + CB + IHC) of our study with 19 cases was 68.4% (13/19), 83.3% (15/18), and 100% (17/17), respectively.

CONCLUSION

The present study demonstrates that FNA has low sensitivity in diagnosing PTL, but the joint application of FNA, CB, and IHC might provide high diagnostic accuracy for lymphoma and should be applied in all cases where the clinical suspicion is high regardless of the FNA findings.

Hashimoto Thyroiditis in Primary Thyroid Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

OBJECTIVES

To assess the prevalence of Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT) in primary thyroid lymphoma (PTL) and whether it differs between mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).

METHODS

Electronic databases were searched for studies assessing HT prevalence in PTL, based on antithyroid antibodies, clinical history, or pathology. Pooled prevalence of HT and its association with histotype (MALT or DLBCL) were calculated.

RESULTS

Thirty-eight studies with 1,346 PTLs were included. Pooled prevalence results were 78.9% (any HT evidence), 65.3% (antithyroid antibodies), 41.7% (clinical history), and 64% (pathology). HT prevalence was significantly higher in MALT lymphoma than in DLBCL (P = .007) and in mixed DLBCL/MALT than in pure DLBCL (P = .002).

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, 78.9% of patients with PTL have any HT evidence, but only half of these had been clinically followed. The difference in HT prevalence suggests that a subset of DLBCL may not derive from MALT lymphoma.

[A retrospective analysis of 12 cases of primary thyroid lymphoma]

OBJECTIVE

To discuss the clinical characteristics and diagnostic and therapeutic considerations of primary thyroid lymphoma (PTL) by reviewing PTL cases.

METHODS

In the study, 12 cases of PTL diagnosed and treated in Peking University First Hospital between January 1995 and September 2015 were identified. The clinical characteristics, management experiences and prognosis of these cases were reviewed retrospectively.

RESULTS

A total of 12 PTL patients (four males and eight females) were collected, with an average age of 63 years (42 to 81 years) at the time of diagnosis. The average time to clarify diagnosis was 5 months (0.5 to 24 months). Eleven patients presented with a rapidly growing neck mass and visited surgical department, except one complained of coughing and suffocated. Seven patients were hypothyroid, and four were euthyroid at the time of diagnosis. In sonography of 11 cases, nine showed bilateral nodules, with an average diameter of 3.87 cm. Pathologic diagnosis of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was confirmed in all the 12 cases by means of partial thyroidectomy (four) or core needle biopsy (eight). The pathological subtypes were diffuse large B cell lymphoma in nine patients, mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (MALToma) in two, and small B cell lymphoma in the other one patient. Five patients were concomitant with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Eleven patients received chemotherapy. Only one patient did not have any further treatment after operation due to an inertia type of tumor. The median overall survival time was 24 months (1-117 months), three patients died. Among the patients who survived, seven completed chemotherapy without disease progression, one MALToma case did not receive chemotherapy after thyroidectomy but was still alive with PTL, and one patient just finished his second course of chemotherapy.

CONCLUSION

The diagnosis of PTL should be considered when dealing with rapidly growing goiters in elder female Hashimoto's thyroiditis patients whose B ultrasound indicates hypoechogenicity in thyroid nodules or parenchyma, especially with lymphadenopathy and tracheal compressions. Timely use of coreneedle biopsy on suspicious cases can avoid unnecessary surgical trauma, and chemotherapy is the main treatment.

Clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic factors for primary thyroid lymphoma: report on 28 Chinese patients and results of a population-based study

Objectives

Few studies on prognostic indicators for primary thyroid lymphoma (PTL) have been presented due to the uncommon nature of the tumor. This is the first study to explore the independent prognostic factors in the 2 PTL subtypes.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 1,653 cases of PTL. The cases comprised 28 Chinese patients from a local cohort and 1,625 patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database from 1973 to 2013. Statistical analysis was performed to determine the demographics and prognostic factors of PTL patients.

Results

The disease-specific survival (DSS) and prognostic indicators were significantly different between patients with extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) and patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Patients with MALT lymphoma were younger (P=0.011) and had lower clinical stage (P=0.014) compared to patients with DLBCL. Cox regression analysis revealed that age, treatment modalities employed, clinical stage, and number of other types of cancer were independent prognostic factors for DLBCL patients.

Conclusion

PTL demonstrates specific clinical features and is associated with a relatively good prognosis. Older age is associated with poor DSS in both MALT patients and DLBCL patients. Additionally, combination of different treatment modalities is associated with improved DSS in DLBCL patients.

Primary Thyroid Extranasal NK/T-Cell Lymphoma Associated With Good Outcome: A Case Report and Literature Review: A Care-Compliant Article

Most thyroid lymphomas are B-lineage, and T-cell lymphomas are rare. None of primary thyroid extranasal NK/T-cell lymphoma (NKTCL) has been reported in the literature. Here, we report a case of extranasal NKTCL exclusively arising in the thyroid in an 18-year-old Chinese.The patient presented with rapid anterior swelling at the neck and aggravated dyspnea for 2 months. Neck computer tomography scan revealed diffuse thyroid enlargement in the left lobe compressing the trachea. The thyroid function test was indicative of hypothyroidism. Gastroscopy demonstrated chronic nonspecific gastritis. Subtotal thyroidectomy was performed. Histological examination showed a diffuse infiltration of neoplastic lymphoid cells with an angiodestructive behavior. Immunophenotype is positive for CD2, CD56, CD43, and TIA-1, and typically negative for surface CD3. Epstein-Barr virus-encoded small RNAs were detected in tumor cells. A diagnose of primary thyroid extranasal NKTCL-N lymphoma was confirmed by the findings.The patient was treated with CHOP-L combination chemotherapy followed by local radiotherapy, and tolerated the modality well. The patient has been in remission for 28 months so far.To our knowledge, this is the first case report of primary extranasal NKTCL exclusively arising in the thyroid. The case has a relatively good treatment outcome with timely diagnosis and multimodality approach.

Clinicopathological characteristics and treatment outcomes of 38 cases of primary thyroid lymphoma: a multicenter study

Purpose

Primary thyroid lymphoma (PTL) is a rare disease and it has been investigated in a limited number of studies. The present multicenter study evaluated the clinical features and treatment outcomes of PTL.

Methods

The medical records of patients diagnosed with PTL between 2000 and 2013 in three centers were retrospectively reviewed.

Results

The study included 11 men and 27 women with a median age of 63.3 years (range, 42-83 years). The median follow-up was 56.0 months (range, 3-156 months). Of the 38 patients included, 16 had mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma, six had mixed MALT and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and 16 had DLBCL. Thirty-five patients (92.1%) had early stage (stage I/II) disease. Of the 16 MALT lymphoma patients, 14 were treated by surgery, and radiotherapy (RT) or chemotherapy was combined in five patients. Two patients received RT or chemotherapy alone. Of the six mixed MALT and DLBCL patients, three underwent surgery with chemotherapy and three underwent chemotherapy alone, RT alone, or surgery with RT. All of the 16 DLBCL patients received chemotherapy, and surgery and RT was combined in 4 and 1 patients, respectively. The 5-year survival was 100% for MALT lymphoma (7 of 7) and mixed MALT and DLBCL patients (5 of 5) and 87.5% for DLBCL patients (7 of 8).

Conclusion

Early stage PTL has an excellent prognosis when managed by single or combined treatment modalities. Clinicians should consider PTL in patients with underlying Hashimoto's thyroiditis presenting with an enlarging thyroid mass.

Primary thyroid lymphoma: case series with review of literature

Primary thyroid lymphoma (PTL) is a rare disorder accounting for about 2 % of all malignant lymphomas. It is an aggressive extranodal non Hodgkin lymphoma mostly of B lineage. We report four cases of PTL and highlight the clinical issues and challenges posed by this rare disease.

Identification of primary thyroid lymphoma with medical imaging: A case report and review of the literature

Primary thyroid lymphoma (PTL) is a rare thyroid malignancy. Clinical diagnosis of PTL may not be easily established based on imaging studies, as the imaging features of PTL are similar to those of lymphocytic thyroiditis and primary thyroid cancer. The present study describes the case of a patient who was confirmed to have PTL by intra-operative pathological diagnosis. On color Doppler ultrasound, the PTL was shown as a significantly enlarged thyroid with reduced gland echoes. Color Doppler flow imaging showed increased blood flow. By computed tomography, the thyroid was revealed to be enlarged with reduced tissue density, particularly in the left lobe and the isthmus. In addition, calcified spots and swollen lymph nodes were evident. The clinical history of the patient was obtained and the imaging results were retrospectively analyzed. The imaging features of PTL were investigated through reviewing the literature. PTL exhibits specific features on medical imaging that aid in distinguishing it from other thyroid diseases. PTL exhibits specific features on medical imaging that aid in distinguishing PTL from other thyroid diseases, which may aid the support for clinical diagnosis and improve the clinical accuracy.

T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma in a child presenting as rapid thyroid enlargement

The majority of lymphomas of the head and neck in children present as an enlarged cervical lymph node; however, malignant lymphoma arising from the thyroid gland is extremely rare. We report a case of a 12-year-old child who was admitted to our hospital because of a history of rapidly progressive anterior neck swelling. Histopathological studies revealed this case to be T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma. We performed chemotherapy and the patient has kept recurrence-free survival for 18 months after the beginning of the treatment. This is the 2nd case of T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma in the thyroid gland in a child.

Survival and failure outcomes in primary thyroid lymphomas: a single centre experience of combined modality approach

Primary thyroid lymphoma (PTL) is a rare malignancy and represents 2%–5% of all thyroid malignancies and 1%–2.5% of all malignant lymphomas. We present our institute's experience in combined modality management of 16 successive patients of PTL treated from 2005 to 2010. The median age of the patients was 56.0 years. Five patients were males, and 11 patients were females. An enlarging thyroid mass was the most common presenting symptom. 14 patients had diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and 2 patients had follicular lymphoma. The most common stage of presentation was stage II comprising 6 (37.5%) patients. All patients received CCT, and only 12 patients received involved field RT with a median dose of 36.0 Gy. 10 patients (62.5%) had CR, and 6 patients (27.5%) had PR. Eight patients had disease progression in subsequent followup and this included the initial 6 patients with PR. The 5-year DFS was 40.0%, and median DFS was 47 months. The 5-year OS was 41.0%, and median OS was 51 months. Most common presentation in our series was locally advanced tumors. Most of these patients require combined modality management. Risk-adapted and multimodality approach is the need of the hour to achieve good control rates while minimizing treatment related toxicity.

Thyroid lymphoma: correlation of radiologic and pathologic features

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to correlate the clinicoradiologic and pathologic features of thyroid lymphoma and to identify the most useful diagnostic method for thyroid lymphoma as the first line.

METHODS

Our study population included 16 patients with a diagnosis of thyroid lymphoma by fine-needle aspiration, core biopsy, or surgery from 1995 to 2010. We retrospectively reviewed imaging and medical records. Sonographic findings were correlated with histopathologic results.

RESULTS

Of the 16 patients, primary lymphomas were found in 13 and secondary in 3. The mean ages of the patients with primary and secondary lymphomas were 60.8 and 42.7 years, respectively. Most patients with primary lymphomas had symptoms of rapid neck swelling or a mass sensation. All primary lymphomas revealed non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma, and secondary lymphomas included a B-cell origin in 2 and a T-cell origin in 1. On sonography, 10 (77%) of 13 primary lymphomas showed diffuse heterogeneous hypoechoic parenchyma with intervening echogenic septa-like structures, whereas all secondary lymphomas showed markedly hypoechoic nodules. Markedly hypoechoic parenchyma was correlated with lymphoepithelial lesions and neoplastic cells, whereas the intervening echogenic septa-like structures were consistent with fibrosis on pathologic examination. The exact diagnosis of thyroid lymphoma was possible with core biopsy in all 9 cases (100%) but with fine-needle aspiration in only 3 of 10 (30%), which included 7 under sonographic guidance and 3 under palpation (P = .0030).

CONCLUSIONS

Diffuse hypoechoic parenchyma with intervening echogenic septa on sonography under the impression of a primary thyroid lymphoma, particularly in the setting of a rapidly enlarging mass, should prompt core biopsy rather than fine-needle aspiration.

Primary mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue thyroid lymphoma: a rare thyroid neoplasm of extrathyroid origin

Primary thyroid lymphoma is a rare malignancy, representing 2–8% of all thyroid malignancies and 1–2% of all extranodal lymphomas. The majority of cases concern non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of B cell origin, following by Hodgkin's disease, T cell lymphomas and rarely marginal zone B-cell mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphomas. MALT lymphomas have been associated with long-standing autoimmune Hashimoto's thyroiditis. We present the case of a 44-years-old woman with thyroid MALT lymphoma in the background of multinodular goiter of autoimmune origin.

Thyroid lymphoma: acute presentation and long-term outcome

BACKGROUND

Thyroid lymphomas are relatively uncommon. This study aimed to analyse our experience of thyroid lymphoma management and outcome.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective case note analysis of 63 patients treated in the previous 13 years was conducted.

RESULTS

The five-year survival rate was 68 per cent, with most patients dying of their lymphoma. This is at odds with the British Thyroid Association statement that the prognosis of this condition is 'generally excellent'. The only presenting symptom found to be significantly associated with prognosis was dysphagia (p = 0.001). Dual modality treatment provided a significantly better outcome than single modality treatment (p = 0.014). Thyroid lymphoma can present to the head and neck surgeon 'in extremis'; however, it can respond rapidly to appropriate treatment.

CONCLUSION

The outcome of thyroid lymphoma seems unrelated to the acuteness of its presentation. Thyroid surgery has no role other than for diagnosis. However, 51 per cent of the study patients underwent some form of thyroidectomy, indicating the need to implement better diagnostic pathways.

Thyroid cancer in older men

This article reviews most common types of thyroid cancer focusing on older males worldwide. Thyroid carcinoma is the most common endocrine malignancy. It includes tumour types that range from localised papillary carcinomas to lethal anaplastic disease. Among elderly population, male gender seems to be highly correlated with the risk and aggressiveness of thyroid cancer. Early diagnosis and urgent aggressive treatment are important for aging patients. This article includes numerous studies which evaluate prevalence, morbidity and mortality of thyroid cancer in older males.

Concomitant thyroid Malt lymphoma and papillary thyroid carcinoma

The objective of this study was to describe the rare thyroid MALT lymphoma concomitant with papillary thyroid carcinoma in a male patient who was submitted to total thyroidectomy. Treatment and follow-up issues are addressed. Male patient complains of fast thyroid enlargement without lymphadenophaty and normal clinical exams. Total thyroidectomy was indicated and performed without any complications. The pathology showed multicentric papillary thyroid carcinoma, concomitant thyroid MALT lymphoma and Hashimoto's thyroiditis. The immunohistochemistry assay was positive for CD 20, CD 43, CD 79, AE1/AE3. The staging studies showed no evidence of both metastasis, Ann Harbor stage IE, without B symptoms. After RIT no further radiotherapy or chemotherapy was indicated. Nowadays the thyroglobulin is undetectable, without recurrences at two years of follow-up. It was concluded that primary thyroid MALT lymphoma is uncommon being the papillary thyroid carcinoma more frequent. Both occurring concomitantly is very rare and the treatment has to prioritize the tumor of worst prognosis at the discovery moment.

High response rate and improvement of long-term survival with combined treatment modalities in patients with poor-risk primary thyroid diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: an International Extranodal Lymphoma Study Group and Intergruppo Italiano Linfomi study

The impact of different treatment modalities and prognostic factors on the clinical course of primary thyroid diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (PTDLBCL) is still the subject of research. This study was conducted to clarify these clinical aspects of this disorder. The clinical parameters of 48 patients with PTDLBCL at time of diagnosis were comparable to those of previous studies. Patients underwent either radiotherapy (RT)  ±  surgery (SX), chemotherapy (CHT) alone or in combination with local treatments (RT or SX), or SX followed by CHT and RT. A 90% complete remission (CR) rate was observed among patients who underwent combined treatment modalities (CTM), compared to 76% among the others. The 5-year progression-free survival differed significantly between both groups (p = 0.028). Poor performance status and advanced age correlated with decreased survival. PTDLBCL is a curable disease prevalent in elderly patients. Combined treatment modalities were able to induce an elevated rate of CR, improving long-term survival in younger patients. However, the outcome in elderly patients still remains unsatisfactory.

Prognosis of primary thyroid lymphoma: demographic, clinical, and pathologic predictors of survival in 1,408 cases

BACKGROUND

There is a paucity of data regarding prognosis of primary thyroid lymphoma (PTL), with only case reports and institutional series reported. This is the first population-based study of PTL in the United States.

METHODS

PTL patients were identified in the SEER database. Bivariate (chi(2), Kaplan-Meier, and log rank) and multivariate (Cox proportional hazards) analyses were used to assess the associations between patient characteristics and survival.

RESULTS

A total of 1,408 patients were identified over 32 years of follow-up (median, 3.75 years). Mean age was 66 years; 75% were female and 93% white. Overall, 98% had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; 68% had diffuse large B-cell, 10% follicular, 10% marginal zone, and 3% small lymphocytic. A total of 88% had stage I-II disease. Median survival was 9.3 years. On bivariate analysis, older age, single marital status, stage II-IV disease, histology (large B-cell, follicular, or other non-Hodgkin's), earlier year of diagnosis, lack of prior malignancies, and no radiation/surgery predicted worse survival. Age >or=80 years, advanced stage, no radiation/surgery, and large B-cell or follicular histology predicted worse prognosis in multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSION

Older age, advanced stage, histologic subtype, and lack of radiation/surgical treatment are associated with worse survival. Thyroid resection offers benefit only for patients with stage I disease. Management of PTL requires multidisciplinary collaboration.

Thyroid lymphoma and airway obstruction - is there a rationale for surgical management?

BACKGROUND

The current management of thyroid lymphomas (TL) includes the combined use of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, with surgery mainly confined to diagnosis through an open biopsy following ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology (US-FNAC).

AIMS

To analyse the clinical presentation and methods of diagnosis of TL, its pitfalls and the management of these tumours presenting with compression symptoms and airway obstruction.

METHODS

A retrospective review of nine patients diagnosed with TL at Guy's and St Thomas Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in London over the past 5 years.

RESULTS

Nine consecutive patients were identified with the diagnosis of TL, and seven (78%) of them being women and with a mean age of 65 years. All patients presented with an anterior neck mass while four (44.4%) presented with stridor and vocal cord palsy. Two (22.2%) presented with a hoarse voice, dysphagia, and only one patient had a B symptom of weight loss. FNAC was diagnostic in three patients (33.3%) and a report of multi-nodular goitre in one patient. There was clinical suspicion of TL in three patients (33.3%). Of the three patients presenting with stridor, two had an open biopsy followed by the initiation of dexamethasone therapy and resolution of symptoms within 48 h. One patient had a partial thyroidectomy following a suspected diagnosis of multi-nodular goitre from US-FNAC. One patient required tracheostomy for airway management.

CONCLUSION

Diagnosis of TL may be difficult. However, US-FNAC is useful in raising the suspicion of a TL. Open biopsy is still the definitive diagnostic tool of choice. In the emergency setting of airway obstruction, once definitive diagnosis is achieved, dexamethasone therapy and endotracheal intubation for airway management are all that is required for optimal management strategy. Surgical intervention has no role except for providing tissue for diagnosis.

Clinical characteristics of primary thyroid lymphoma in Koreans

Primary thyroid lymphoma is a very rare tumor and its prevalence is approximately 0.1% of all thyroid cancers in Korea. Its clinical experience is limited and not familiar to physicians. Therefore, we performed this study to investigate the clinical characteristics of primary thyroid lymphoma in Koreans. We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of the 44 patients with primary thyroid lymphoma from 1991 to 2006 at four major referral hospitals in Korea. Out of 44 patients, eight patients were male and 36 patients were female and their average age was 57 years. Fifty-six percent of patients had underlying Hashimoto's thyroiditis. All but two patients had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with B cell origin, and eighty percent of patients presented with stage IE or IIE. Twenty-one of 44 patients (48%) had diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and 17 (39%) had MALT lymphoma. Malignancies originating from lymphoid cells were suspected in 10 of eighteen patients with DLBCL (56%) by using fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), and no difference was noted compared with MALT lymphoma (64%). Compared with DLBCL, the patients with MALT lymphoma were more frequently presented with stage I disease (DLBCL vs. MALT lymphoma: 32% vs. 65%, P=0.04). Moreover, in contrast to DLBCL, most of the patients with MALT lymphoma achieved complete response with treatments (DLBCL vs. MALT lymphoma: 53% vs. 94%, P<0.01). Because of the low diagnostic accuracy of FNAC, thyroid biopsy should be considered for the diagnosis of thyroid lymphomas in suspicious cases. The patients with MALT lymphoma were more frequently presented with early stage diseases and this might lead to the favorable outcome to treatments than those with DLBCL.

Surgical trends in the management of thyroid lymphoma

AIMS

To determine the changing trends and current role of surgery for the management of thyroid lymphoma.

METHODS

A retrospective review of 50 surgical patients with a final diagnosis of thyroid lymphoma over a 35-year period.

RESULTS

All patients presented with an enlarging mass, with half having compressive symptoms on presentation. Two-thirds of patients had co-existent histological features of Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Surgery for patients with thyroid lymphoma peaked in the late 1970s (0.79% of all thyroid operations performed) followed by a significant decline in the 1980s with a current frequency of only 0.16% (p=0.009). A larger number of thyroid resections intended as a curative procedure was performed during the first half of this series compared to the latter half (p=0.05). There was no difference in disease-free survival between patients treated by thyroid resection when compared with an open biopsy (p=0.4875).

CONCLUSION

The surgical management of thyroid lymphoma has changed with time. Currently a larger proportion of patients are undergoing surgery in order to achieve a histological diagnosis rather than with therapeutic intent, however, an important role for surgery still exists in the management of a patient with severe airways obstruction.

Treatment and survival of patients with thyroid lymphoma: a population-based study with clinical and pathologic reviews

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence, clinical and histologic features, and patterns of outcome of thyroid lymphomas.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective population-based survey of 38 patients with thyroid lymphoma was taken. Median age was 69 years (range, 33-87 years), with a 1:4 female predominance. Fifty percent of cases had a history of autoimmune thyroiditis, and coexistent thyroiditis was found in 67% of cases in which preexistent thyroid tissue was present. The most common subtype was diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL; 63%) followed by extranodal marginal zone lymphoma (ENMZL; 29%). Ten of the patients with DLBCL showed a concomitant low-grade mucosa-associated lymphatic tissue component, and 4 cases of aggressive ENMZL were diagnosed. At diagnosis, 22 patients (58%) had localized disease, and 41% had low-risk international prognostic index scores.

RESULTS

Therapy was diverse and included all possible treatment modalities, none of which showed superiority. A complete clinical response was exhibited in 64% of patients, 14% exhibited a partial response, and 22% developed progressive disease. At a median follow-up of 43 months (range, 0-240 months), 15 patients had relapsed or developed progressive disease. Two-year overall survival rate was 59% for all patients, 68% for patients with localized disease, and 47% for patients with disseminated lymphoma.

CONCLUSION

Many thyroid lymphomas have clinical and histologic features characteristic of ENMZL and belong to this specific clinicopathologic entity.

Hodgkin's lymphoma of the thyroid: a clinicopathologic study of five cases and review of the literature

Hodgkin's lymphoma rarely involves the thyroid gland. We report the clinical and pathologic features of five cases of Hodgkin's lymphoma that presented as thyroid lesions. All five patients were females, aged 29-59 years. Three patients had a history of chronic thyroiditis and hypothyroidism and two were euthyroid. One patient had a remote history of Hodgkin's lymphoma. Imaging studies showed a 'cold' nodule (three cases) or a diffusely enlarged thyroid gland, resembling goiter or fibrosclerosing thyroiditis (two cases). Thyroid fine-needle aspiration was performed before thyroidectomy in all cases; three of these cases contained some atypical cells, raising the possibility of Hodgkin's lymphoma. Histologically, all cases were classical Hodgkin's lymphoma, nodular sclerosis subtype. The four patients with primary thyroid lymphoma had Stage IIE disease. All patients were treated with surgical excision and chemotherapy, with or without radiation therapy, and were alive after 2 months to 7 years of follow-up. A review of the English literature between 1962 and 2005 revealed 16 cases of thyroid Hodgkin's lymphoma, with a female preponderance and generally favorable outcome similar to the cases in our series. Hodgkin's lymphoma of the thyroid is rare and can mimic a primary thyroid epithelial tumor or thyroiditis clinically. Histologic diagnosis may be difficult due to marked fibrosis. Hodgkin's lymphoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of thyroid neoplasms.

Management of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the thyroid: the Royal Marsden Hospital experience

A retrospective review was conducted of patients treated for thyroid non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (TNHL) at the Royal Marsden Hospital between 1936 and 1996 to determine the effect of radiotherapy (RT) on outcome. 91 patients were identified from the Thyroid Unit Database. There were 77 females and 14 males with a median age of 65 years (range 22-87 years). RT was delivered according to two separate policies: (1) involved field radiotherapy (IFRT) to the thyroid bed and cervical lymph nodes; (2) extended field radiotherapy (EFRT) covering the thyroid bed, cervical and mediastinal lymph nodes. 89 patients received RT as part of definitive treatment following surgery, to a dose of approximately 40 Gy. 25 patients received IFRT and 64 patients EFRT. 27 patients received cytotoxic chemotherapy. 18 patients (72%) treated with IFRT died of TNHL with a median relapse free survival (RFS) of 10 months and a median overall survival (OS) of 21 months. In contrast, only 29 patients (46%) treated with EFRT died of TNHL with a median RFS of 76 months (p = 0.01 for RFS with respect to IFRT and p = 0.04 for OS). Significantly more patients treated with IFRT relapsed locally (52% vs 27%). There was no difference in the rates of systemic relapse (20% vs 22%). EFRT alone for Stage I, but not for Stage II disease, yielded acceptable rates of local control and disease free survival with doses of at least 40 Gy. These historical data strongly support the addition of combination chemotherapy to the treatment regimen in all patients with Stage II disease. Indeed, in recent years this has become the standard of care for all cases of thyroid lymphoma unless the histology is of marginal zone type (mucosa associated lymphoma tissue (MALT) lymphoma).

[Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in the thyroid: case report]

The authors describe the case of a 33 year-old white female, without any clinical or laboratorial evidence of thyroiditis or clinical hypothyroidism, who presented with a rapidly enlarging anterior neck mass. Diagnosis of a follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was made through histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis.

Rare tumors of the thyroid gland

Although the vast majority of thyroid cancers are well-differentiated and carry an excellent prognosis, several rare tumors occasionally involve the thyroid gland and require unique treatment paradigms. Anaplastic carcinoma of the thyroid is an extremely aggressive neoplasm that is generally best managed with surgery followed by a multimodality regimen of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid often mimics the clinical course of anaplastic carcinoma and is best treated with aggressive surgery followed by postoperative radiotherapy. Treatment and prognosis of lymphoma of the thyroid varies depending upon the specific pathological subtype, with combination chemotherapy and radiation therapy used primarily. Sarcomas of the thyroid are primarily managed with surgery, although radiation and chemotherapy are indicated in some cases.

Ptimary thyroid lymphomas and other rare thyroid tumors

Primary thyroid lymphomas are rare. Surgery is seldom indicated. The aim of the study is to find out the main characteristics of primary thyroid lymphomas in our patients, indications for surgery and the possibility of treatment, frequency and characteristics of rare thyroid tumors. Method: retrospective study of 1044 patient operated for malignant thyroid tumor. Results: From 1995 to may 2003, we operated upon 15 patients with primary thyroid lymphomas, 2 men and 13 women mean age of 50.12 years (from 22 to 74 years), also one patient of age 69 with insular thyroid cancer. Reason for surgery was thyroid tumor in all, compressive disturbances in 9, among them 4 with asphyxia. Radical total thyroidectomy was performed in 4 (26.7%), whole in others some residual tumor tissue was could not be removed in spite of thyroidectomy in 3, hemithyroidectomy in 2, tumor debulking in 5 and only open biopsy was performed in one patient. There was no operative mortality, no postoperative hypocalcaemia and no recurrent nerve palsy. Histological type of tumor was Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 13 patients, Hodgkin disease in 2 female patients of age 22 and 24. Hashimoto thyroiditis was present in 3 patients. After surgery, 13 patients were treated with chemotherapy, one patient died one month after the operation and one patient refused chemotherapy. Follow-up data are available for 9 patients and the mean follow-up period was 20 months (1-48months). Three patients died after a month, 2 and 3 years after surgery. Six patients are without local relapse. In one patient who refused chemotherapy, a year after thyroid surgery, resection of large intestine was performed because of lymphoma of the colon. Conclusion: Malignant thyroid lymphomas are rare. They present with rapidly growing thyroid tumor, compression and asphyxia. Surgery is only temporarily effective and it is necessary to start with chemo-radiotherapy as soon as possible. Rare forms of thyroid cancer have to be histological recognized in order to choose the best way of treatment.

Palliative thyroidectomy for malignant lymphoma of the thyroid

BACKGROUND

Current treatment of malignant lymphoma of the thyroid consists of chemotherapy and external beam radiation. The diagnosis can routinely be made by fine-needle aspiration, obviating the need for surgery. However, a significant number of patients present with symptoms of obstruction, necessitating thyroidectomy for palliation.

METHODS

To determine the outcomes of patients with malignant thyroid lymphoma after palliative thyroidectomy, we reviewed our experience. Between 1980 and 2001, 27 patients with thyroid lymphoma and symptoms or signs of airway and/or esophageal obstruction were evaluated at 1 of 3 academic institutions.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 66 +/- 3 years, and the majority was female. Patients presented with symptoms of dyspnea/stridor (30%), dysphagia/pain (30%), or impending airway obstruction (40%). All underwent palliative surgery. In addition to surgery, 10 patients had combined chemo- and radiotherapy, 10 had radiotherapy alone, and 4 had only chemotherapy. Symptom-free survival after palliative surgery was determined by Kaplan-Meier analysis. The mean actuarial symptom-free survival of patients with symptomatic, malignant thyroid lymphoma was 10 years (95% confidence interval, 7.67 to 12.33 years).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with malignant lymphoma of the thyroid can present with obstructive symptoms requiring palliative intervention. In this group of patients, thyroidectomy can be associated with good long-term palliation and low morbidity.