Primary MALT Lymphoma of the Larynx

A 76 year old woman was referred to our unit after presenting with intermittent dysphonia of 1 year duration. There was neither a relevant medical history nor did she have any toxic habits such as consumption of alcohol or tobacco. There were no B symptoms. Clinical nasopharynx, Waldeyer ring, and cervical examinations all showed normal results; the nasofibroscopy performed revealed a single laryngeal polyp in the left vocal cord (Fig. 1) with a preservation of laryngeal movement. Findings from a blood test and a general clinical examination were normal. Laryngeal micro surgery with the use of suspension laryngoscopy according to the Kleinasser technique was indicated and the before-mentioned polyp was extirpated. The subgloggic region, the supraglottis, and the hypopharynx were disease free. A bronchoscopy was also performed which also resulted normal. The biopsy from the anatomopathological study showed a lymphoid infiltration of the tissue with characteristics which are typical of MALT type extraganglionar B cell lymphoma (Fig. 2) and the immunohistochemical staining confirmed B lymphocytes (CD20 + CD79 + BCL + BCL6, CD5, CD3, CD23, D1 cyclin). The proliferation index (MIB-1) was low. PCR expansion of IGH reordering, in accordance with BIOMED-2