The natural history of malignant thyroid lymphomas

Twelve patients with malignant thyroid lymphomas seen over a 12-year period were reviewed. Two of these patients developed intra-abdominal lymphoma and a third, adult coeliac disease. Treatment by radiotherapy and thyroxine was effective, with thyroid excision mainly reserved for obstructing lesions. Prognosis was not affected by local metastases. A plea is made for open thyroid biopsy and accurate clinical staging of patients with this disease.