Malignant lymphoma. A study of 75 cases presenting in soft tissue.

We report 75 cases of malignant lymphoma presenting in soft tissue taken from the files of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. All histologic subtypes with the exception of lymphoblastic lymphoma were represented. Our findings indicate that virtually any soft tissue site may be involved; there is no sex predilection; and size is not helpful in predicting survival. Among the 55 patients for which race was known, there were no black patients. Thirty-three patients with extensive evaluations at the time of diagnosis had no evidence of disseminated disease, but eight of these exhibited widespread disease within 3 months of diagnosis, and seven of the eight died of disease (median survival, 4 months). The remaining 25 patients had much better outcomes; 18 of 19 with intermediate and high-grade lymphomas were alive and well at a median of 74 months after diagnosis. Some tumors exhibited a propensity for involvement of remote soft tissue sites.