[Primary large cell thyroid lymphoma. Report of 6 cases treated with chemotherapy]

A series of 6 cases with primary thyroid lymphoma of aggressive histologic type (large cell lymphoma) is presented. Two patients had previous diagnosis of chronic lymphocytary thyroiditis and one also had ulcerative colitis. The Ann Arbor stage was I-E in 2 patients and II-E in four. LDH level was high in four patients and three had criteria of bulky disease. All developed compressive symptoms. As primary therapy 3 patients received polychemotherapy (ProMACE-CytaBOM). The remaining underwent surgery prior to cytostatic treatment. In the three patients with large tumoral volume complementary radiotherapy was also carried out. Five patients had rapid complete remission with chemotherapy and the other achieved partial response of 75% (had complete remission upon termination of radiotherapy). Five are alive without disease at 87, 47, 25, 23 and 16 months of the onset of treatment. One patient died due to cerebral infarction after the fourth cycle. Polychemotherapy is a good therapeutic option for primary thyroid lymphoma with unfavourable prognostic factors.