[Musculoskeletal lymphomas]

Primary lymphomas of bone or skeletal muscle are rare entities. The most frequent among these diseases are primary non-Hodgkin's lymphomas of bone. They account for 3-5% of all bone tumors and 5% of all primary extranodal non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Primary manifestations of Hodgkin's disease in bone or skeletal muscle are rarities. Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphomas of skeletal muscle are rarities as well. Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphomas of bone can be found in any patient age. A preference exists for the 3.-6. decade of life. The radiographic appearance of these entities resembles other aggressive bone tumors. Their differential diagnosis includes -- depending on the patient's age -- Ewing's sarcoma,malignant fibrous histiocytoma,metastases of small cell tumors and osteomyelitis.Further differential diagnoses are the peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET), osteosarcoma, eosinophilic granuloma and fibrosarcoma. Treatment of primary non-Hodgkin's lymphomas uses combinations of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Operative treatment is reserved for the treatment of complications. The prognosis of primary non-Hodgkin's lymphomas is reflected by 10-year-survival-rates without recurrence of more than 80% in unifocal manifestations.