Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Primary MALT-type Lymphoma of the Thymus: A Clinicopathological and Immunohistochemical Study of Six Cases

  • Published:
Lung Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Six cases of primary extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of the thymus (MALT [mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue]) are described.

Methods

The patients were all women between 48 and 59 years. Clinically, all patients, except for one, were Caucasians. Two patients had a history of autoimmune disease, while one was being investigated for such a possibility. The remaining three patients did not have a history of autoimmune disorders.

Results

In those patients who had symptoms related to their anterior mediastinal masses, nonspecific symptoms, including shortness of breath and chest pain, predominated. Histologically, the tumors had the classical morphologic features of cystic and solid areas with an atypical monocytoid cellular proliferation. Immunohistochemical stains performed in all cases showed kappa monotypic expression and B-cell phenotype.

Conclusions

The current cases highlight that MALT lymphomas of the thymus can occur in a setting not related to autoimmune disease or in those not of Oriental ethnic background and that mediastinal cystic lesions require proper sampling in order to adequately evaluate the possibility of MALT lymphoma.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Cazals-Hatem D, Lepage E, Brice P et al (1996) Primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma: a clinicopathologic study of 141 cases compared with 916 nonmediastinal large B-cell lymphomas. A GELA (“Groupe d’Etude des Lymphomes de l’Adulte”) study. Am J Surg Pathol 20:877–888

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Di Loreto C, Mariuzzi L, De Grassi A, Beltrami CA (1996) B-cell lymphoma of the thymus and salivary gland. J Clin Pathol 49:595–597

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Royer B, Cazals-Hatem D, Sibilia J et al (1997) Lymphomas in patients with Sjögren’s syndrome are marginal zone B-cell neoplasms, arise in diverse extranodal and nodal sites, and are not associated with viruses. Blood 90:766–775

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Yokose T, Kodama T, Matsumo Y et al (1998) Low-grade B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue in the thymus of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis. Pathol Int 48:74–81

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Yi JG, Kim DH, Choi CS (1998) Malignant lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT lymphoma) arising in the thymus: radiologic findings. AJR Am J Roentgenol 171:899–900

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Yamasaki S, Matsushita H, Tanimura S et al (1998) B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue of the thymus: a report of two cases with a background of Sjögren’s syndrome and monoclonal gammopathy. Hum Pathol 29:1021–1024

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Nagasaka T, Lai R, Harada T et al (2000) Coexisting thymic and gastric lymphomas of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue in a patient with Sjögren’s syndrome. Arch Pathol Lab Med 124:770–773

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Moriyama E, Yokose T, Kodama T et al (2000) Low-grade B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue in the thymus of a patient with pulmonary amyloid nodules. Jpn J Clin Oncol 30:349–353

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Kamimura K, Nakamura N, Ishibashi T et al (2002) Somatic hypermutation of immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region genes in thymic marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of MALT type of a patient with Sjögren’s syndrome. Histopathology 40:294–296

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Harigae H, Ichinohasama R, Miura I et al (2002) Primary marginal zone lymphoma of the thymus accompanied by chromosomal anomaly 46, X, dup(X)(p11p22). Cancer Genet Cytogenet 133:142–147

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Yamada S, Tadasu K, Mingyon M et al (2003) Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma of the thymus resected using combined thoracoscopic and transcervical approaches. Ann Thorac Surg 76:293–295

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Kim JM (2003) Primary extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue-type in the thymus of a patient with Sjögren’s syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis. J Korean Med Sci 18:897–900

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Ortonne N, Copie-Bergman C, Remy P et al (2005) Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma of the thymus: a case report with no evidence of MALT1 rearrangement. Virchows Arch 446:189–193

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Takagi N, Nakamura S, Yamamoto K et al (1992) Malignant lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue arising in the thymus of a patient with Sjögren’s syndrome. Cancer 69:1347–1355

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Sunada K, Hasegawa Y, Kodama T et al (2007) Thymic and pulmonary mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma in a patient with Sjögren’s syndrome and literature review. Respirology 12:144–147

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Masunaga A, Iwamoto S, Nakamura H et al (2008) Thymic epithelial cells expressed unusual follicular dendritic cell markers: thymic extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue. Pathol Int 58:402–405

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Kinoshita N, Ashizawa K, Abe K et al (2008) Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma of the thymus associated with Sjogren’s syndrome: report of a case. Surg Today 38:436–439

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Maeda A, Hayama M, Nakata M et al (2008) Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma in the thymus of a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus. Gen Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 56:288–291

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Sakamoto T, Yamashita K, Mizumoto C et al (2009) MALT lymphoma of the thymus with Sjogren’s syndrome: biphasic changes in serological abnormalities over a 4-year period following thymectomy. Int J Hematol 89:709–713

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Carette MF, Gounant V, Antoine M et al (2009) Case no 3. Thymic lymphoma of the MALT type. Gougerot-Sjogren syndrome. Diffuse infiltrating pneumopathy (lymphocytic interstitial pneumopathy). J Radiol 90:861–864

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Kitai R, Sasaki M, Sato K et al (2009) Thymic mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma associated with bilateral orbital pseudotumor. Gen Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 57:566–569

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Braham E, Capron J, Sene D et al (2009) Thymic marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue-type in a patient with Sjögren’s syndrome and cryoglobulinemia. Pathology 41:701–703

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Sunohara M, Hara K, Osamura K et al (2009) Mucosa associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma of the thymus with trisomy 18. Intern Med 48:2025–2032

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Shimizu K, Yoshida J, Kakegawa S et al (2010) Primary thymic mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma: diagnostic tips. J Thorac Oncol 5:117–121

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Shimizu K, Ishii G, Nagai K et al (2005) Extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT lymphoma) in the thymus: report of four cases. Jpn J Clin Oncol 35:412–416

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Inagaki H, Chan JKC, Ng JWM et al (2002) Primary thymic extranodal marginal-zone B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue type exhibits distinctive clinicopathological and molecular features. Am J Pathol 160:1435–1443

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Lorsbach RB, Pinkus GS, Shahsafaei A, Dorfman DM (2000) Primary marginal zone lymphoma of the thymus. Am J Clin Pathol 113:784–791

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Isaacson PG, Chan JKC, Tang C, Addis BJ (1990) Low-grade B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue arising in the thymus: a thymic lymphoma mimicking myoepithelial sialadenitis. Am J Surg Pathol 14:342–351

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Moran CA, Suster S (2006) Cystic well-differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma (carcinoid tumor): a clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study of two cases. Am J Clin Pathol 126:377–380

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Izumi H, Nobukawa B, Takahashi K, Kumasaka T, Miyamoto H, Yamazaki A, Sonobe S, Uekusa T, Suda K (2005) Multilocular thymic cyst associated with follicular hyperplasia: clinicopathologic study of 4 resected cases. Hum Pathol 36:841–844

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Moran CA, Suster S, Silva EG (2005) Low-grade serous carcinoma of the ovary metastatic to the anterior mediastinum simulating multilocular thymic cysts: a clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study of 3 cases. Am J Surg Pathol 29:496–499

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Moran CA, Suster S (1995) Mucoepidermoid carcinomas of the thymus. A clinicopathologic study of six cases. Am J Surg Pathol 19:826–834

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Moran CA, Suster S (1995) Mediastinal seminomas with prominent cystic changes. A clinicopathologic study of 10 cases. Am J Surg Pathol 19:1047–1053

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Suster S, Barbuto D, Carlson G, Rosai J (1991) Multilocular thymic cysts with pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia. Hum Pathol 22:455–460

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Suster S, Rosai J (1991) Multilocular thymic cyst: an acquired reactive process. Study of 18 cases. Am J Surg Pathol 15:388–398

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Maiorana A, Boneti LR (2008) Hyperplastic and inflammatory pathology of the thymus. In: Lavini C, Moran CA, Morandi U, Schoenhuber R (eds), Thymus gland pathology: clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic features, chap 5. Springer, Italia, pp 39–47

Download references

Disclosure

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX, 77030, USA

    Annikka Weissferdt & Cesar A. Moran

Authors
  1. Annikka Weissferdt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Cesar A. Moran
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Annikka Weissferdt.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Weissferdt, A., Moran, C.A. Primary MALT-type Lymphoma of the Thymus: A Clinicopathological and Immunohistochemical Study of Six Cases. Lung 189, 461–466 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00408-011-9335-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00408-011-9335-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation