Interdisciplinary treatment of the malignant lymphoma of the thyroid.

720 patients with malignant tumor of the thyroid were treated at our department between 1950 and 1996. Histological examination revealed 15 cases (2%) of malignant lymphoma (14 female, 1 male mean age: 69.8 year). In 8 cases Hashimoto thyroiditis, in 1 case chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis was verified beyond the lymphoma. According to Ann Arbor staging, 9 patients were stage I E, 3 II E, 1 III E, and 2 IV E. Radical surgical treatment was performed in 7, palliative in also 7, and only biopsy in one case. Irradiation was administered in 9, chemotherapy in 8 patients. In 5 out of the 7 palliative operated patients tracheostomy was performed. 10 patients were lost. The therapy of the non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the thyroid is debated in the literature. There are some authors, who question the role of surgery. Our experience, based on the longer survival of the patients, who underwent radical operation, support those, who consider the possible surgical treatment as the initial part of the multimodal therapy.