Non-hodgkin Lymphoma Presenting as a Base of Tongue Mass: Clinicopathological Study

Background: Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) rarely occurs in the base of tongue. The aim of the study was to investigate the clinicopathological findings in patients with base-of-tongue NHL. Methods: The computerized files of 10 patients with primary NHL in the base of the tongue from 1997 to 2007 at a major tertiary medical center were reviewed. Results: There are three females and seven males aged 17 to 93 years (mean 62.5 years). Patients complained of dysphagia, dyspnea, and bleeding in the mouth. A mass in the base of the tongue was detected in all patients by rigid or flexible laryngeal endoscopy, with posterior displacement of the epiglottis in six patients. The diagnosis was confirmed by histological study, which revealed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in eight patients, and peripheral T-cell lymphoma in two patients. Conclusion: Although NHL of the base of the tongue is rare, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of base of the tongue mass.