Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma of the oral cavity and maxillofacial region: a pathologist viewpoint

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Non-Hodgkin lymphomas of the oral and maxillofacial regions are uncommon malignancies. They usually have progressive course and dismal outcome.

Areas covered: This review provides an update about the clinicopathologic, immunophenotypic, and molecular features of these lymphomas. Some relevant case reports are presented.

Expert commentary: The lymphomas of the oral and maxillofacial regions involve the tongue, gingiva, hard palate, maxilla, mandible, Waldeyer’s ring, palatine, and lingual tonsils. They include diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), T-cell lymphoma, Burkitt lymphoma (BL), natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (NKTCL), marginal zone lymphoma, plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL), mantle cell lymphoma, and lymphoblastic lymphoma. They are more common in males than in females. They commonly present as mass lesions covered by an intact or ulcerated mucosa. Some lymphomas are associated with viral infections (Epstein–Barr virus or HIV) and specific genetic alterations. Each subtype has its specific clinicopathologic features and the most common subtypes include DLBCL, BL, NKTCL, and PBL. DLBCL is the most common oral lymphoma. BL is a rapidly proliferating mature B cell neoplasm almost always presenting in extranodal sites. Nasal-type NKTCL presents as a locally destructive, midfacial necrotizing lesion. PBL is a rare, highly aggressive disease that is commonly associated with immunodeficiency conditions.

KEYWORDS:

• Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
• burkitt lymphoma
• nasal-type NK/T-cell lymphoma

Declaration of interest

The author has no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Supplementary material

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Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.