The expression non-Hodgkin lymphoma is used to cover a wide group of lymphoid neoplasias unrelated to Hodgkin?s disease, due to the huge histological variety and the tendency to affect organs and tissues that does not physiologically contain lymphoid cells.
The intra-oral location is not frequent (3-5% of cases) and the initial manifestations of the disease rarely take place here.
In the present work, we describe the case of a 73 years old patient, who came to our attention with a tongue lesion, which had been previously treated surgically and diagnosed as NHL.
A tongue affected by non-Hodgkin?s lymphoma rarely occurs. In spite of this, this possibility should always be considered for the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant lesions affecting such area.
A rapid diagnostic assessment, together with an adequate histopathologic verification, are indeed essential to improve the management and the prognosis of this disease.
KEYWORDS
Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma; Tongue Involvement; Oral Cancer.