Five cases of parotid gland MALT lymphoma

MALT (mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue) lymphomas are caused by chronic inflammation in the stomach and lungs, nodal extravasating organs such as salivary glands and thyroid gland in which lymphoid tissue originally does not exist. Decisive therapy has not been established for the parotid gland region. We report five cases of MALT lymphoma in the parotid gland which were treated by radiotherapy, chemotherapy and operative therapy. There was no local recurrence in any case in which radiotherapy or operative therapy was administened. The two patients for whom combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy were applied responded completely. We concluded that radiotherapy and operative therapy are effective for local control and that chemotherapy may be effective in preventing the dissemination.