Natural killer cell nasal lymphoma mimicking a localized Wegener's disease.

Introduction. - Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the nasal cavity is parti cular. Pathological characteristics mainly associate a prevalent NK lymphoc yte phenotype, a frequent exposure to the Epstein-Barr virus and a poor sen sitivity to radiotherapy compared to other lymph node localizations. Exegesis. - The authors report the case of a 38-year-old man. The patient h ad previously presented a chronic maxillar sinusisitis. After a diagnosis o f Wegener's disease, the poor course under therapy resulted in a nasal lymp homa. Natural killer cell nasal lymphoma was confirmed with a leading biops y at the same time as a serious clinical outcome. The patient died of septi c shock with multivisceral failure. Conclusion. - The two differential diagnoses of ulcerative lymphoma of the midface are ulcerative infectious diseases and Wegener's disease. We must n ot miss this severe disease, with its poor prognosis and variable, though s ometimes rapid speed of evolution. (C) 2001 Editions scientifiques et medic ales Elsevier SAS.