Extranodal NK/T cell Lymphoma, nasal type: clinical, radiological, histological features for early diagnosis

ABSTRACT

Primary nasal type natural killer (NK)/T cell (NKTC) lymphoma, a specific form of malignant lymphoma, has a higher geographic incidence in Oriental, Mexican, and South American populations than the Western population. In Koreans, it comprises 9-12% of all cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. This type of lymphoma has also been named as angiocentic lymphoma and lethal midline granuloma because the most common site is the upper airway area and its clinical aggressiveness presents with a necrotic and destructive pattern. NKTC lymphoma can also be detected in different organs (testis, spleen, parotid gland, skin, gastroinstinal tract, central nervous system, lungs, bone marrow, etc.) other than the upper airway including the oral cavity. The lymphoma detected in the oral cavity shows various destructive and inflammatory changes, similar to the signs of inflammation and infection from periodontitis and pulpal disease, making a diagnosis difficult with just the clinical signs. For early detection, clinical, radiological, and pathological examinations are required. This report describes the clinical, radiological and histological characteristics with a case report for the early detection of NKTC lymphoma in the oral cavity.