Thyroid Lymphoma Clinical Presentation

  • Author: Fernando Cabanillas, MD; Chief Editor: Emmanuel C Besa, MD   more...
 
Updated: Aug 9, 2011
 

History

The most common clinical presentation is that of a rapidly enlarging thyroid mass, frequently in association with neck adenopathy.[6] With the exception of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, thyroid NHL usually grows faster than any other thyroid neoplasm. However, low-grade or indolent NHLs can occasionally arise in the thyroid gland and their growth rate is slower. Hoarseness, respiratory difficulty, cough, and dysphagia can also occur as presenting symptoms at diagnosis.

Proceed to Differential Diagnoses
 
 
Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Fernando Cabanillas, MD  Adjunct Professor of Medicine, MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas Medical School at Houston; Adjunct Professor, Moffitt Cancer Center; Medical Director, Auxilio Mutuo Cancer Center, Puerto Rico

Fernando Cabanillas, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Association for Cancer Research, American Association for the Advancement of Science, American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine, American Society of Hematology, New York Academy of Sciences, and Texas Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Lodovico Balducci, MD  Professor of Oncology and Medicine, University of South Florida College of Medicine; Division Chief, Senior Adult Oncology Program, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

Wendy Hu, MD  Consulting Staff, Department of Hematology/Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Huntington Memorial Medical Center

Wendy Hu, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for the Advancement of Science, American College of Physicians, American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, American Society of Hematology, and Physicians for Social Responsibility

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Rajalaxmi McKenna, MD, FACP  Southwest Medical Consultants, SC, Department of Medicine, Good Samaritan Hospital, Advocate Health Systems

Rajalaxmi McKenna, MD, FACP is a member of the following medical societies: American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society of Hematology, and International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Emmanuel C Besa, MD  Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematologic Malignancies, Kimmel Cancer Center, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University

Emmanuel C Besa, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for Cancer Education, American College of Clinical Pharmacology, American Federation for Medical Research, American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society of Hematology, and New York Academy of Sciences

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

References

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  4. Holm LE, Blomgren H, Lowhagen T. Cancer risks in patients with chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis. N Engl J Med. Mar 7 1985;312(10):601-4. [Medline].

  5. Tupchong L, Hughes F, Harmer CL. Primary lymphoma of the thyroid: clinical features, prognostic factors, and results of treatment. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. Oct 1986;12(10):1813-21. [Medline].

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  13. Matsuzuka F, Miyauchi A, Katayama S, et al. Clinical aspects of primary thyroid lymphoma: diagnosis and treatment based on our experience of 119 cases. Thyroid. Summer 1993;3(2):93-9. [Medline].

  14. Miller TP, Dahlberg S, Cassidy JR, et al. Three cycles of CHOP (CHOP-3) plus radiotherapy (RT) is superior to eight cycles of CHOP (CHOP-8) alone for localized intermediate grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). A Southwest Oncology Group study. Proc Ann Meet Am Soc Clin Oncol. 1996;15 (A1257):411.

  15. Rodriguez J, Cabanillas F, McLaughlin P, et al. A proposal for a simple staging system for intermediate grade lymphoma and immunoblastic lymphoma based on the 'tumor score'. Ann Oncol. Nov 1992;3(9):711-7. [Medline].

  16. Miller TP, Dahlberg S, Cassady JR, et al. Chemotherapy alone compared with chemotherapy plus radiotherapy for localized intermediate- and high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. N Engl J Med. Jul 2 1998;339(1):21-6. [Medline].

  17. Glick JH, Kim K, Earle J, et al. An ECOG randomized phase III trial of CHOP vs. CHOP + radiotherapy (XRT) for intermediate grade early stage non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) [abstract]. Proceedings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. 1995;14 (A-1221):391.

  18. Laing RW, Hoskin P, Hudson BV, et al. The significance of MALT histology in thyroid lymphoma: a review of patients from the BNLI and Royal Marsden Hospital. Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol). 1994;6(5):300-4. [Medline].

 
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Rapidly enlarging thyroid mass occurring in association with neck adenopathy.
 
 
 
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