Mantle cell lymphoma of orbit in a middle aged female--a case report

A 31 years female presented with painful swelling, proptosis of right eyeball and headache of 9 months duration. There were absense of perception of light, pupillary reaction and extraocular movements. Exposure keratopathy with proptosis was observed. She was provisionally diagnosed a case of orbital cellulitis. The computerized tomography revealed lymphoma. Her right orbit was exenterated. The histopathologic examination revealed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of diffuse small type. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated malignant cells of B cell origin and it was classified as mantle cell lymphoma. Orbital lymphoid tumors typically affect older persons, but occasionally, it can involve middle aged adults also. Mucosa associated lymphoid tumors are the most common affecting eye and orbit, but mantle cell lymphoma is extremely rare.