Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) involving the uterus may be either low-stage
neoplasms that probably arise in the uterus (primary) or systemic neoplasms
with secondary involvement. In this study, 26 NHL involving the uterus are
reported. Ten cases were stage I, or II, and are presumed to be primary. T
he mean age of patients at presentation was 55 years (range, 35 to 67 years
), and abnormal uterine bleeding was the most frequent complaint (six patie
nts). Nine of 10 tumors involved the cervix Histologically, eight were diff
use large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL); one was follicle center lymphoma, follic
ular, grade 1; and one was marginal zone B-cell lymphoma. At 5 years of cli
nical followup, five of six patients were alive after treatment. In 12 case
s, uterine involvement was part of a systemic disease at diagnosis, either
stage III, or IV, The mean patient age at the time that uterine involvement
was detected was 58 years (range, 22 to 75 years); 6 of 12 had abnormal ut
erine bleeding. Six tumors involved both cervix and corpus, four corpus, an
d two cervix Six were DLBCL; two were small lymphocytic lymphoma; three wer
e follicle center lymphoma, follicular, grade 1 (two cases) or grade 2 (one
case); and one was precursor T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma. At 5 years of
clinical follow-up, two of seven patients were alive after treatment. Four
DLBCL arose in patients with incomplete clinical information; therefore, st
age is unknown, We conclude that low-stage (presumably primary) uterine NHL
are most commonly DLBCL, predominantly arise in the cervix, and cause abno
rmal uterine bleeding. High-stage NHL are a heterogeneous group of B-cell n
eoplasms that can involve the cervix or the corpus.