PRIMARY THYROID NON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMAS - CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS ON PATIENTS LIVING IN THE ISLAND OF CRETE

Fifteen patients with primary thyroid non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (PT-NHLs ) living in the island of Crete were studied. Patients' median age was 69 years, male/female ratio 1.5/1 and stage I/stage II ratio 2/1 (sta ges LII and TV were excluded). According to the Working Formulation Cl assification, 2 cases were with low, 10 with intermediate and 3 with h igh grade of malignancy. Remission rate was 80%, median overall surviv al 61 months and median disease free survival 59 months. No significan t difference in survival were found between stage I and II, as well as between males and females. Conclusing, PT-NHLs in the island of Crete are more frequent in males than in females, and are predominantly (67 %) of the intermediate grade of malignancy.