The clinical presentation of non-Hodgkin lymphomas of the major salivary glands

The aim of this study was to examine the clinical presentation of patients with malignant lymphoma of the major salivary glands. In a retrospective st udy, 26 patients with a non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) of the major salivary gl ands were examined. The results showed a distinct preference for the female gender. Two groups with clinical differences were observed depending on ly mphoma manifestation as either extranodal-parenchymal (extranodal) or with intra- or periglandular (nodal) lymph node disease. Differences between the se two groups existed with regard to the length of clinical history, recurr ent vs continuously progressing symptoms and presentation on ultrasound exa mination (multiple masses compared to solitary masses). Patients with an ex tranodal lymphoma always showed disease limited to the affected gland, wher eas those patients with a nodal lymphoma. presented with stage II or higher (Ann Arbor Classification). In these patients, local recurrence was also f ive times higher (5/13; 38.4%) than in patients with an extranodal lymphoma (1/13; 7.7%). In 1 patient (7.7%) with extranodal lymphoma, dissemination was observed, compared to 6/13 patients (46.2%) in the group with nodal dis ease. Seven out of 13 patients (53.8%) with nodal disease died due to lymph oma spread and 1/13 (7.7%) of the patients with extranodal disease. There s eem to be distinct clinical differences in the course of patients with NHL of the major salivary glands, depending on extranodal or nodal disease pres entation. The histopathological diagnosis, with special recognition of the particular lymphoma pathogenesis, constitutes an important prognostic facto r in these patients.