Bronchoscopic therapy for mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma of the trachea.

The tracheal tumor of a 74-year-old female was detected on bronchoscopy and histologically diagnosed as mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. We successfully treated the tumor with endoscopic neodyminum-yttruim-aluminium-garnet (Nd-YAG) laser photoresection followed by local ethanol injection. This is the first case in which tracheal MALT lymphoma was successfully treated with bronchoscopy. Bronchoscopic therapy seems to be one of the most valuable strategies for treatment of MALT lymphomas of the central airway.