Subglotic malt-lymphoma of the larynx: an unusual presentation of chronic cough.

ABSTRACT

Extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphomas limited to the larynx are rare, accounting for less than 1% of all laryngeal neoplasms. The most common site of development of primary laryngeal lymphomas is the supraglottic region. In most cases, the presenting symptoms are hoarseness, dysphagia, dyspnea, and cervical lymphadenopathy. They consist mainly of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, especially of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue. We report a case of a primary extranodal marginal zone of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (Malt Lymphoma) of the larynx in a 73-year-old non-smoker woman, presented as chronic cough, unresponsive to oral corticosteroid. We present a detailed report of her clinical and paraclinical data as well as treatment options. In patients with chronic cough, uncommon causes should be considered when the cough persists after evaluation for common causes. If a cough persists after consideration of the most common causes, CT scan and a bronchoscopic evaluation are fundamental for the diagnosis of tumors of the upper and lower respiratory tract.