Abstract
A mass in the right upper lobe of the lung was observed in a chest X-ray examination of a 66-year-old woman. Pathological examination of the lung biopsy revealed a mucosa- associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma within the lesion. A systemic survey demonstrated no other lesions, and the patient was diagnosed as having a solitary pulmonary MALT lymphoma (Stage IE). After 9 months of careful monitoring, progressive enlargement of the lung tumor and involvement of right hilar lymph nodes were observed using positron emission tomography-computed tomography. Therefore, surgical resection of the right upper lobe and right hilar lymph nodes was performed, and coexistence of MALT lymphoma with tuberculosis was identified by pathological investigations. The association of chronic inflammation with the development of MALT lymphomas has been widely accepted. In the present case, pulmonary tuberculosis may have played a role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary MALT lymphoma.
