Abstract
A case of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the soft palate in a child is reported. The patient, a ten-year-old girl, complained of a swelling of the soft palate on the right side, dysphagia and speech disturbance. Several cervical lymph nodes were also palpable. The histopathological diagnosis was non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (diffuse lymphoblastic type) and the clinical stage was classified as II by the Murphy's classification. Radiation therapy was initiated. Massive infiltration in the abdomen was found two weeks later. The patient was traeted with intensive combination chemotherapy with Adriamycin, Cyclophosphamide, Vincristine and Predonisolone. Complete remission was observed with repeated cotmbination chemotherapy of three series. A four-month follow-up showed no recurrence. Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas in children differ from those seen in adults. Non-Hodykin's lymphomas in children are usually diffuse in pathologic pattern, commonly are wide spread at diagnosis, and tend to disseminate early, often having leukemic manifestations. In this paper, we emphasized that intensive combination chmotherapy should be employed in the treatment of Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas in children.
