[Clinicopathological features and treatment outcome of 37 cases of primary thyroid lymphoma]

Objective:The aim of this study is to explore the clinicopathological features and treatment outcome of primary thyroid lymphoma(PTL). Method:Clinicopathological data of 37 cases of PTL were retrospectively reviewed, and analyzed in combined with followup data. Result:Of the 37 patients, Hashimoto's disease was diagnosed in 28(75.7%) patients. The diagnostic rate of preoperative fine needle biopsy (75%) was higher than the fine needle aspiration (53%). The pathological types of these patients included diffuse large B cell lymphoma(n=23), extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosaassociated lymphoid tissue type (MALT) (n=10), follicular lymphoma(FL) grade 3 (n=3) and burkitt lymphoma(BL) (n=1). According to Ann Arbor staging system, 12 patients with stage ⅠE, and 25 patients with stage ⅡE. With a median followup period of 37 months (2－93 months), the 3year overall survival (OS) rate and progression free survival(PFS) was 87.0% and 81.6%, and 5year overall survival(OS) rate and PFS was 79.8% and 74.8%. Univariate survival analysis found that comprehensive treatment was an important factor affecting prognosis, but there was no statistical difference in the effects of age, gender, lactate dehydrogenase, level, β2 microglobulin, Ann Arbor staging, international prognostic index, and tissue subtype on survival (P>0.05). Conclusion:PTL mostly affects middle aged and old female and has a favorable prognosis. Core needle biopsy can improve the diagnostic rate when compared with fine needle aspiration. The optimal treatment is combined modality strategy based on chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and supplemented by surgery.