Abstract
MALT lymphoma is generally thought to be a low-grade malignancy that progresses slowly. We report a case of airway stenosis caused by primary thyroid MALT lymphoma that was successfully treated with emergency radiotherapy. The case involved a 60-year-old male who visited our department because of neck swelling and an airway sound resulting from stenosis. CT scan showed significant swelling of both thyroid lobes, a minimum tracheal diameter of 4.1 mm, with the extent of tracheal stenosis ranging up to 59.0 mm. Hyperfractionated radiotherapy for the emergency condition and subsequent rotational conformal radiotherapy were performed. These dilated the airway considerably and prevented asphyxiation. MALT lymphoma was diagnosed upon biopsy. We conclude that MALT lymphoma, which is thought to have a mild prognosis, can be life-threatening in certain cases such as this one. Such patients require careful attention.
