Clinicopathological Features of Extranodal Head and Neck Lymphomas

Objective: Primary extranodal lymphomas of the head and neck region relatively rare and represent a biologically distinct subset. The diagnosis and differential diagnosis of head and neck lymphomas are important and deserve special attention. The aim of the present study was to retrospectively evaluate patients diagnosed with primary head and neck lymphomas at the Department of Pathology between January 2020 and January 2026. Histopathological subtypes, localization, relative frequencies, overall survival were analyzed. Material and Method: This retrospective study included 31 cases diagnosed with lymphoma involving the head and neck region. Medical records were reviewed. Histopathological slides re-evaluated under light microscopy by experienced pathologists. All cases were classified according to the current World Health Organization (WHO) classification of tumors of haematopoietic and lymphoid tissues. An extensive immunohistochemical panel was applied. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS statistical software. Results: The study group included 31 patients with head-and-neck lymphoma. The most common histological type was diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) (54.8%). Other histological subtypes included follicular lymphoma (FL), mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (NKTCL), anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), and Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). Most common location was tonsil (38.7%). Other locations were nasopharynx, oral cavity, nasal cavity, salivary gland and thyroid. Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) positivity was detected in two patients (6.5%), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection was identified in two patients (6.5%). At the time of last follow-up, 27 patients (87.1%) were alive, whereas four patients (12,9%) had died. The mortality rate of 6.5%. The median overall survival was 28 months (95% CI: 10–45). Conclusions: Malignant lymphoma should be kept in mind when evaluating head and neck masses, and histopathological assessment of the affected tissue remains the cornerstone of diagnosis.