The benign lymphoepithelial lesion--a harbinger of neoplasia.

The patient presented had well-documented benign lymphoepithelial lesion, many years before the appearance of neoplastic disease. The relationship between this type of lesion and the later development of neoplasia is unclear, but evidence points to its existence, and further study is needed to clarify its frequency and significance. It appears that in some patients the benign lymphoepithelial lesion is a forerunner of the neoplastic process, and thus may serve as another clinical clue to the early diagnosis of neoplasia, especially that on the lymphoreticuloendothelial cell type.