MUCOSAL-ASSOCIATED LYMPHOID-TISSUE LYMPHOMA OF THE CONJUNCTIVA

The recognition of mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue as a distinct en tity has lead to the separate classification of tumors arising in this tissue, ie, the mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, Five pat ients with mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma of the conjunct iva are described herein; four of the five patients had bilateral tumo rs. Laboratory analysis was done using microscopy, immunophenotyping, gene rearrangement analysis using both Southern blot and polymerase ch ain reaction techniques, and oncogene (bcl-1, bcl-2, and c-myc) rearra ngment studies. Typical mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma fe atures were seen in all patients; three of four patients who underwent testing with immunphenotyping had light-chain restriction, four of fi ve patients had a clone detected using Southern blot analysis, and all five patients showed clones on polymerase chain reaction analysis. No patient demonstrated oncogene rearrangement. In all patients, complet e physical examinations and laboratory tests did not detect any eviden ce of systemic spread. After treatment, no evidence of local recurrenc e or dissemination was found during follow-up ranging from 2 to 3 year s.