INTRAORAL NON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMA IN 7 PATIENTS WITH ACQUIRED-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-SYNDROME

Since the appearance of AIDS, there has been a significant increase in the number of cases of oral non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Rarely seen in th e oral cavity before, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is now seen with some fre quency in HIV-positive patients. Oral HIV-related lymphomas exhibit an aggressive course and can mimic other oral tumors and infections, whi ch makes early recognition and diagnosis important and difficult. We r eport on the clinical findings in seven homosexual men in whom the ora l cavity was the first site in which non-Hodgkin's lymphoma appeared a nd the only site involved at the time of diagnosis. Treatment consiste d of chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy. The relatively sh ort survival in these patients averaged 8 months. All patients died of complications from their tumor.