Systemic Non-Hodgkin T Cell Lymphomas Presenting in the Head and Neck Region: An Institutional Experience of a Rare Entity.

Abstract

T cell lymphoma (TCL) is a group of rare and aggressive diseases. TCL primary to head and neck organs often present as extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma, nasal type. Systemic TCL with initial head and neck presentation is extremely rare. Here we report our institutional experience. Clinicopathologic data was collected from patients diagnosed with TCL and treated at the University of Alabama at Birmingham between 2002 and 2012. Eleven cases of systemic TCL initially presented at head and neck region were identified. The median age was 54years and male:female ratio was 1.8. The most common sites involved were sinonasal tissue, tonsil, tongue and larynx. Most patients presented with a mass lesion without systemic symptoms. The presentation of TCL primary to the head and neck region is often non-specific. A misdiagnosis of undifferentiated tumor or chronic inflammation due to ambiguous morphology is not uncommon. TCL should be considered in differential diagnosis and a thorough evaluation is warranted for accurate diagnosis.