Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the thyroid.

Twenty-eight patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the thyroid were treated between 1954 and 1981. The duration of follow-up ranged from 39 to 176 months. The overall 5 year survival was 51%. Twenty deaths have been recorded of which 12 were attributed to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Eight patients relapsed following initial treatment. Of these, two patients are long term survivors and the remainder had a mean survival of 14.5 months. The histology was reviewed by one histopathologist, with 88% of the cases being classified as grade 2 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The presence of Hashimoto's thyroiditis was identified in 56% of the 25 assessable specimens.