Diagnosis and Clinical Analysis of Primary Thyroid Lymphoma

Objective To summarize our experiences in the diagnosis and prognosis of different subtypes of primary thyroid lymphoma (PTL). Methods The clinical data of 27 PTL patients who were treated in our hospital from January 1998 to December 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. The pathological types of these patients included B cell lymphoma unclassifiable (BCLU) (n=5),mucosa-associated lymphiod tissue lymphoma (MALT) (n=9),diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) (n=12),and T cell lymphoma (n=1). Results Of all these 27 cases,the most common clinical symptom was painless swelling of the neck (n=21,77.8%). Of 7 patients who had received preoperative fine needle biopsy,lymphoma was suspected in 2 cases (28.6%). Among these 7 cases,the positive rate of suspicious lymphoma was 66.7% in 3 DLBCL patients,0 in 3 MALT patients,and 0 in 1 BCLU paitent. Also,25 patients underwent intraoperative frozen pathological examination,which revealed lymphoma or suspicious lymphoma in 16 cases (64.0%); in these patients,the positive rate was 66.7% for BCLU,77.8% for MALT,58.3% for DLBCL,and 0 for T-cell lymphomas. The overall survival was (89.3±12.4) months,and the overall 5-year survival rate was 61.6%. The estimated survival in symptomatic group was 31.6 months,which was significantly shorter than that in asymptomatic group (97.9 months) (P=0.032). Other factors including age,sex,tumor size,tumor stage,international prognostic index,tracheal compression,lactate dehydrogenase,residual tumor,and pathological type showed no significant effect on survival(all P>0.05). Conclusions DLBCL has the highest fine needle biopsy positive rate,MALT has the highest frozen pathological positive rate,and intraoperative frozen pathology has more malignant results than the preoperative fine needle biopsy in the diagnosis. The accompanying lymphoma symptoms may be an adverse prognostic factor.