Primary Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma of the Thyroid: Case Report

Abstract

Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the thyroid is a rare disease that typically occurs in middle-aged to older individuals, predominantly females. Most of the patients have a prior history of autoimmune (Hashimoto's) thyroiditis. Treatment of primary thyroid lymphoma is controversial and depends on the histological subtype and disease stage. Current treatment consists of chemotherapy and external beam radiation that can be combined with surgery. The authors describe the case of a 59-year-old male treated at the Dr. Luiz Antonio Hospital in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil, in March 2001, presenting a 2.0 cm cervical mass. A diagnosis of lymphoma was made by fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). Patient was treated with surgery, followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Diffuse large cell lymphoma and lymphocytic thyroiditis were identified by histopathology. The last patient revision was in March 2007. The patient is now asymptomatic and disease-free.