Extranodal oral non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. A retrospective study of 40 cases in Argentina

A retrospective study was conducted of extranodal oral Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas diagnosed at the Surgical Pathology Laboratory of the School of Dentistry at Buenos Aires University, Argentina, between 1985 and 2004. The 40 cases found represent 0.2% of the oral biopsies diagnosed during that time and 4.6% of malignant neoplasias. Overall mean age of patients was 49.4 years, and frequency was greater in males. 80% affected soft tissues. Prevalent location was gingival, followed by palate. Intraosseous cases were more frequent in mandible (75%) than in upper maxilla. 100% of the cases were phenotype B, with a higher frequency of high-grade aggressiveness. The most common histological type was Diffuse Large Cell Lymphoma. 60% of the Plasmablastic Lymphomas in the series came from HIV+ patients. Evolution time prior to consultation was 1 to 3 months in 57.7% of the cases.