Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma presenting as an endobronchial tumor: report of eight cases and literature review

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) involving the endobronchial tree is uncommon, and the initial presentation of NHL as an endobronchial tumor is extremely rare. In a series of 441 patients with newly diagnosed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma over a 7-year period, we reviewed the clinical features of eight patients who presented with an endobronchial tumor. All patients had local pulmonary disease without extrathoracic involvement. The major presenting symptoms were dyspnea, chest pain, cough, and hoarseness. None of the patients had systemic symptoms. Radiographs revealed lobar collapse in all cases. Five patients had mediastinal masses and three had isolated endobronchial lesions. Although MALT lymphoma is the most common primary pulmonary lymphoma, it was present in only one of our patients, while seven patients had aggressive lymphoma. All patients received chemotherapy. Six of the eight patients responded favorably to treatment with complete remission. The prognosis of patients with isolated endobronchial lymphoma is not worse than other local presentations of lymphoma. Bronchoscopic examination with biopsy is essential to differentiate these lesions from primary bronchongenic carcinoma.