Hematolymphoid Tumors of the Oral and Maxillofacial Region: A clinicopathologic study of 41 cases

Abstract

<h3>Introduction</h3> Oral hematolymphoid tumors represent a heterogeneous and complex group of neoplasms of lymphoid, plasma cell, histiocytic/dendritic, and myeloid origin. Our aim was to determine the frequency, classification, and clinicopathologic characteristics of all hematolymphoid tumors diagnosed at the Pacific Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology Laboratory (POMPL) in the past seven years. <h3>Materials and Methods</h3> Forty-one cases of hematolymphoid tumors were retrieved from the files of the POMPL and the data were analyzed with regard to clinical, histopathologic, and immunophenotypic features. <h3>Results</h3> Hematolymphoid tumors represented ∼0.1% of the total number of accessioned cases since Jan 2014. Male: Female ratio was 1.1:1. Anatomic distribution: 23 were intraosseous (15 in tooth-bearing areas and two in maxillary sinus) and 18 originated in soft tissue (10 palatal mucosa; 6 gingival; 1 buccal mucosa; 1 upper lip). The age range was 35 to 83 years (mean: 59.2 years; median: 61 years). Diagnoses: 26 were B-cell lymphomas (15 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, 5 low-grade B-cell lymphoma, 5 follicular lymphoma, and 1 marginal zone lymphoma (MALT lymphoma); 8 plasmacytoma/myelomas; 2 T-cell lymphomas; 2 Langerhans cell histiocystosis, 2 myeloid sarcomas, and 1 atypical hematolymphoid proliferation. <h3>Conclusions</h3> Male and female patients are equally affected by hematolymphoid tumors in general and the most common type to involve the oral cavity is the diffuse large B cell lymphoma. Hematolymphoid tumors show a predilection for the tooth-bearing areas of the jaws and the palatal mucosa and typically appear as destructive bony lesions or red soft tissue swellings.