Clinical features and therapy of benign lymphoepithelial lesion

Abstract

To report the clinical features of benign lymphoepithelial lesion and to further characterize recommendations for its therapy strategy. It was a retrospective case sires. Retrospective analyze the clinical characteristics, imaging features, pathological manifestation and the treatment effect from the clinical materials of 9 cases of patients with benign lymphoepithelial lesion presenting to Tianjin Eye Hospital from Jan 2006 to Dec 2007. The 9 cases, in which 7 cases were female, 7 cases had lesions on both eyes, demonstrated unpainful swelling of the lacrimal glands and in different degree of salivary glands or had history of tumor resection of salivary glands. Orbital CT scanning showed increased homogeneous density with clear boundary in the lacrimal gland area. Color doppler ultrasonography displayed elliptical space occupying with clear boundary and homogeneous internal echos of the lacrimal gland area. Six patients received treatment with large dose of glucocorticoid for 1 - 2 courses, and the symptoms and signs were significantly alleviated. Three patients were operated to excise the lacrimal gland masses due to imperfect treatment effect of medication or in order to make definite diagnosis. The postoperative pathological results supported the diagnosis of benign lymphoepithelial lesion. No recurrence happened in the follow-up. A clinical condition with swelling of either or both lacrimal gland and of any salivary gland, and accompanied with systemic relative diseases should be considered benign lymphoepithelial lesion. Imaging examinations are helpful to definite diagnosis. Most patients are sensitive to the glucocorticoid treatment. The dose of glucocorticoid should be large at the beginning of treatment. Surgical excision can be applied to the cases insensitive to medications or difficult to be diagnosed. The definite diagnosis should be made through pathological examinations.