Rapidly Increasing Incidence of Ocular Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Declining incidence and improving survival of ocular and orbital lymphomas in the US between 1995 and 2018

This epidemiological study examined ocular and orbital lymphomas in the United States from 1995 to 2018, using data from the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries database of 87,543 patients with ocular and adnexal malignancies. We identified 17,878 patients (20.4%) with ocular and orbital lymphomas, with an age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) of 2.6 persons per million (ppm). The incidence was the highest in the orbit (ASIR = 1.24), followed by the conjunctiva (ASIR = 0.57). Non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma was the most prevalent subtype (85.4%), particularly marginal-zone lymphoma (45.7%). Racial disparities were noted, with Asia-Pacific Islanders showing the highest incidence (orbit, 1.3 ppm). The incidence increased significantly from 1995 to 2003 (Average Percent Change, APC = 2.1%) but declined thereafter until 2018 (APC = - 0.7%). 5-year relative survival (RS) rates varied, with the highest rate for conjunctival lymphoma (100%) and the lowest for intraocular lymphoma (70.6%). Survival rates have generally improved, with an annual increase in the 5-year RS of 0.45%. This study highlights the changing epidemiological landscape, pointing to initial increases and subsequent decreases in incidence until 2003, with survival improvements likely due to advancements in treatment. These findings underscore the need for further research to investigate the root causes of these shifts and the declining incidence of ocular lymphoma.

Long-term outcomes of patients with conjunctival extranodal marginal zone lymphoma

Comprehensive information on clinical features and long-term outcomes of primary conjunctival extranodal marginal zone lymphoma (PCEMZL) is scarce. We present a large single-institution retrospective study of 72 patients. The median age was 64 years, and 63.9% were female. Stage I was present in 87.5%. Radiation therapy (RT) alone was the most common treatment (70.8%). Complete response (CR) was 87.5%, and 100% in RT-treated patients. With a median follow-up of 6.7 years, relapse/progression and death occurred in 19.4% each, with one relapse within the RT field. The 10-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 68.4% (95% CI 52.8%-79.8%) and 89.4% (95% CI 77.4%-95.2%), respectively. The 10-year rate for time to progression from diagnosis was 22.5% (95% CI 11.6%-35.7%). The 10-year PFS and OS of MALT-IPI 0 versus 1-2 were 83.3% versus 51.3%, (p = .022) and 97.6% versus 76.6%, (p = .0052), respectively. The following characteristics were associated with shorter survival: age > 60 years (PFS: HR = 2.93, 95% CI 1.08-7.95; p = .035, OS: HR = 9.07, 95% CI 1.17-70.26; p = .035) and MALT-IPI 1-2 (PFS: HR = 2.67, 95% CI 1.12-6.31; p = .027, OS: HR = 6.64, 95% CI 1.45-30.37; p = .015). CR following frontline therapy was associated with longer PFS (HR = 0.13, 95% CI 0.04-0.45; p = .001), but not OS. Using the Fine and Gray regression model with death without relapse/progression as a competing risk, RT and CR after frontline therapy were associated with lower risk of relapse (SHR = 0.34, 95% CI 0.12-0.96 p = .041 and SHR = 0.11, 95% CI 0.03-0.36; p < .001, respectively). Patients with PCEMZL treated with frontline RT exhibit excellent long-term survival, and the MALT-IPI score appropriately identifies patients at risk for treatment failure.

Ultra-low-dose radiotherapy in the treatment of ocular adnexal lymphoma: a prospective study

PURPOSE

This single-arm, prospective, exploratory study investigated the effectiveness of ultra-low-dose radiotherapy in the treatment of ocular adnexal lymphoma (OAL).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with pathologically confirmed ocular adnexal low-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma (predominantly mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue, MALT or follicular lymphoma) were included and treated with ultra-low-dose radiotherapy consisting of 2 successive fractions of 2 Gy at our institution between 2019 and 2021. Disease response was assessed clinically and radiographically within 4 months and at 3 to 6-month intervals after treatment. Data collected included rates of overall response, complete response (CR), partial response (PR), lesion size, and acute/chronic ocular toxic effects.

RESULTS

Sixteen patients with median age of 63 years (range 23-86 years) were included in the study. The histological subtypes included MALT (11 patients; 69%); follicular lymphoma (2 patients; 12%); Lymphoid hyperplasia (3 patient, 19%). At a median follow-up time of 15.5 months (range 5.0-30.0 months), the overall response rate was 88%, with a CR rate of 75% (n = 12) and a PR rate of 13% (n = 2). The average lesion area was reduced from 117.9 ± 60.4 mm² before radiation therapy to 38.7 ± 46.0mm² at initial evaluation post radiation therapy (P = 0.002, n = 16), and to 8.5 ± 21.2 mm² (P < 0.001 compared with postoperative lesion area) in patients with response at one year (n = 11). Disease progression was noted in 2 patients (12%). The 1-year rates of local progression-free survivals (LPFS) and overall survival (OS) were 85% and 100%, respectively. No distant relapses were observed in any of the patients. No acute or late toxic effects were noted.

CONCLUSION

Ultra-low-dose radiotherapy in patients with OAL is associated with excellent local disease control and long-term survival with no significant acute or late toxicities.

A Case Report of Conjunctival Extranodal Marginal Zone Lymphoma Treated with Intralesional Rituximab Injection Therapy

PURPOSE

To describe the safety and efficacy of intralesional rituximab (anti-CD 20 monoclonal antibody) therapy in a patient with conjunctival extranodal marginal zone lymphoma.

METHODS

A single case report from a tertiary referral center.

RESULTS

A 43 years old female patient with low-grade conjunctival extranodal marginal zone lymphoma who was completely and safely treated with intralesional rituximab therapy was presented. After four injections per week, intralesional rituximab injections were given monthly, and the treatment was completed in 6 months. Near-total regression was achieved at the end of the tenth cycle. No recurrence was observed during the 20-month follow-up period.

CONCLUSION

The intralesional rituximab is a cost-effective and well-tolerated treatment for low-grade conjunctival lymphoma. The intralesional rituximab therapy may be prefer in the patients with low grade conjunctival lymphoma instead of radiotherapy. There will be needed further researches in this area.

Conjunctival Lymphoma

Lymphoma of the conjunctiva is an ocular malignancy derived from clonal proliferation of lymphocytes. The majority of conjunctival lymphoma is extranodal marginal zone B-Cell lymphoma (EMZL), however diffuse large B-cell (DLBCL), follicular (FL), mantle cell (MCL) and T- cell subtypes are also seen. Clinical manifestations are non-specific, but include unilateral or bilateral painless salmon-pink conjunctival lesions. Approaches to treatment have centered around local immunomodulation, often with Interferon-α2b or Rituximab (anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody) with or without radiation. Although conjunctival lymphoma is generally considered an indolent disease, recent advances in next-generation sequencing have improved clinicians' ability to predict future recurrence or systemic disease through assessment of cytogenic and molecular features. In this paper, we review the classification, clinical features, diagnostic techniques, and emerging strategies for management and prognostication of conjunctival lymphomas.

A case of conjunctival precursor T cell lymphoblastic lymphoma presenting with salmon colored conjunctival mass

Purpose

Observations

Conclusions and importance

The Biology of Ocular Adnexal Marginal Zone Lymphomas

This review focuses on the biology of ocular adnexal marginal zone B-cell lymphomas of the mucosa-associated lymphatic tissue (MALT) (OAMZL) subtype. The ocular adnexa includes all structures and tissues within the orbit except for the eye bulb. In the region of the ocular adnexa, MALT lymphomas represent the most common subtype of lymphoma, accounting for around 8% of all non-Hodgkin lymphomas. These lymphomas are often preceded by inflammatory precursor lesions. Either autoantigens or infectious antigens may lead to disease development by functioning as continuous antigenic triggers. This triggering leads to a constitutive activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway. The role of antigenic stimulation in the pathogenesis of OAMZL is supported by the detection of somatic mutations (partially with further intraclonal diversity) in their rearranged immunoglobulin V genes; hence, their derivation from germinal-center-experienced B cells, by a restricted IGHV gene usage, and the validation of autoreactivity of the antibodies in selected cases. In the established lymphomas, NF-κB activity is further enforced by mutations in various genes regulating NF-κB activity (e.g., TNFAIP3, MYD88), as well as recurrent chromosomal translocations affecting NF-κB pathway components in a subset of cases. Further pathogenetic mechanisms include mutations in genes of the NOTCH pathway, and of epigenetic regulators. While gene expression and sequencing studies are available, the role of differential methylation of lymphoma cells, the role of micro-RNAs, and the contribution of the microenvironment remain largely unexplored.

Is it Worthwhile to Undergo the Extended Stage Assessment in Orbital and Ocular Adnexal MALT Lymphoma with Symptoms Limited to the Ocular Adnexa?

Compared to ocular adnexal lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue-type (OAML) patients with symptoms related invasion beyond the ocular adnexa, the different approaches to staging assessment may be required in OAML patients with symptoms limited to the ocular adnexa. Seventy-six patients to be diagnosed with OAML and performed bone marrow biopsy and imaging study at Yeungnam University Hospital in 1995-2014 were enrolled. Patients with symptoms limited to the ocular adnexa were included. Computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography (PET), and bone marrow biopsies were performed for diagnosis, NM staging and follow up evaluation. Most patients were treated with external beam irradiation (median dose, 30 Gray (Gy)). The relapse-free survival (RFS) was analyzed according to the tumor laterality and TNM stage. The median follow-up period was 72 months. The 5-year RFS and overall survival rates were 82.1% and 95.6% respectively. Of all 76 patients, lymph node and bone marrow involvement was identified in 1 patient, respectively. Among the 3 patients with T4 stage as tumor invasion beyond ocular adnexa, bone marrow involvement was confirmed in a patient with left cheek invasion. Only 11 of the 43 patients who underwent PET showed positive uptakes in orbital lesion. The patients with advanced stage were alive without recurrences. Bone marrow examination is useful in OAML patients with T4 for extended stage assessment. The AJCC TNM staging system was not significantly predictive factor for relapse, but may contribute to clarifying the patient group that needs bone marrow study.

Lack of Association between Chlamydophila psittaci and Ocular Adnexal MALT Lymphoma in Korean Patients-Is the Geographic or Genetic Difference Significant?

Clamydophila psittaci (C. psittaci) has been proposed to be an etiologic factor in extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT lymphoma) in the ocular adnexa. However, the pathogenetical significance of the infection has not been fully elucidated. Many previous studies have shown controversial results regarding C.&nbsp;psittaci detection rates in said patients, ranging from 0 to 87%. We investigated the presence of C. psittaci in a single institutional cohort (n = 150) of ocular adnexal MALT lymphoma (OAML) patients in Korea. We tried to exclude the methodological biases derived from the different primer sets in polymerase chain reaction-based studies. For that reason, we applied five sets of primers, including four previously reported and one newly designed primer set. There was no case of C. psittaci-positive OAML in repeated trials validated with appropriate positive and negative controls. All 150 cases showed negative results with five primer sets. These results suggest that the pathogenetic role of C. psittaci in ocular adnexal MALT lymphoma might have been overestimated to date, at least in the Korean population. Therefore, the molecular diagnosis of C. psittaci is considered a very low priority.

Orbital Lymphoma Masquerading as Orbital Cellulitis

Background

Orbital lymphomas are primarily non-Hodgkin type and can originate from the eyelids, extraocular muscles, soft tissue orbital adnexa, conjunctiva, or lacrimal glands. Orbital malignancies often represent a diagnostic dilemma for clinicians given their varying and atypical presentations.

Objective

To report a case of orbital lymphoma mimicking orbital cellulitis.

Case

A 66-year-old male patient presented with sudden onset of painful proptosis with visual impairment in the left eye for 15 days. On ocular examination, best-corrected visual acuity was 6/12 in the right eye and 2/60 in the left eye, abaxial proptosis with hypertropia, swollen and erythematous eyelids, restricted extraocular movement in all cardinal position of gaze, conjunctival congestion with chemosis and tortuous vessels, sluggish pupillary reaction, and chorioretinal folds in the inferior quadrants. The case was diagnosed as left eye orbital cellulitis, and the patient was treated with broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics and oral steroids. No clinically discernible response was noted despite 7 days of antibiotics and steroids. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) orbit showed features suggestive of orbital lymphoma involving the ipsilateral maxillary and ethmoid sinuses. ENT consultation with diagnostic nasal endoscopy and biopsy was done. Histopathological reports showed features of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Conclusion

Orbital malignancies masquerading as orbital cellulitis can pose a diagnostic dilemma. A multidisciplinary approach involving ENT consultation, radiological investigation, and pathological sampling can help achieve a timely diagnosis and appropriate management.

Ocular adnexal lymphoma: an updated review of pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment

Lymphoma is the most common primary tumor of the orbit, accounting for 55% of all orbital malignancies. When divided into histopathological subtypes, extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT lymphoma) comprises the largest proportion. Clinical manifestations are unspecific, but in patients with slow-growing painless orbital mass, or red conjunctival lesion suggestive of ‘salmon patch’, ocular adnexa lymphoma (OAL) should be suspected. Although the pathogenetic mechanism of ocular adnexal MALT lymphoma (OAML) is not yet fully understood, the relationship between OAML and Chlamydia psittaci has been hypothesized recently, similar to that between gastric MALT lymphoma and Helicobacter pylori. This suggests a new treatment option for OAML; bacterial eradication therapy with systemic antibiotics. Several other treatment methods for OAML have been introduced, but no treatment guidelines have been established yet. In this article, we summarize the current knowledge on the clinical features, pathogenesis, diagnostic methods, therapeutic strategies, and prognosis of OAML.

Primary non-Hodgkin diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the lacrimal sac: a rare case of aggressive tumor and literature review

Primary malignant lymphomas of the lacrimal sac are rare neoplasms. They are mainly B-cell lymphoma with nonspecific and atypical symptoms, which can lead to misdiagnosis and a delay in the appropriate cure. Early diagnosis made by biopsy and the right choice of treatments can increase the chance of survival. We report a case of a non-Hodgkin diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) of the lacrimal sac, involving also the drainage system, in a 77-year-old female. She presented with an epiphora, swelling and a heavy visual impairment at the left eye successfully treated with cycles of polychemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Histopathological Features and Ann Arbor Stage in Periocular Lymphoma

BACKGROUND

To evaluate biodata, symptoms/signs, lymphoma type, localization, stage level, treatment choice and outcome of ocular adnexal lymphoma (OAL).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A single-center retrospective analysis of 56 patients with OAL was performed from 1998 to 2018.

RESULTS

OAL involved the orbit in 44.6%, the conjunctiva in 32.1%, the lacrimal apparatus in 14.3% and the eyelid in 8.93%. Extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma (EMZL) was found in 60.7%, follicular lymphoma (FL) in 21.4%, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in 7.14%, mantle cell lymphoma in 5.36% and chronic lymphatic leukaemia in 5.36% patients. No relapse was seen in 76%. EMZL and FL had a significantly better overall survival compared to other lymphoma types (p=0.002). Patients with Ann Arbor stage IE had a significantly better prognosis than those with stages higher than IE (p=0.048).

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest that clinicopathological features such as Ann Arbor stage influence survival.

Treatment of MALT lymphoma of the conjunctiva with intralesional rituximab supplemented with autologous serum

Patients with indolent conjunctival lymphomas exhibit good prognosis, with exceptional cases of dissemination, and are suitable candidates for intralesional therapies. We report the first prospective phase 2 trial using intralesional rituximab supplemented with autologous serum in adults with relapsed/refractory indolent CD20+ lymphoma of the conjunctiva (NCT01514344). Patients received 4 weekly intralesional injections of rituximab, followed by 6 monthly injections; 500 μL of autologous serum was added to rituximab in patients with lymphoma unresponsive to weekly doses. Safety, activity, and antitumor effect of autologous serum were investigated. Twenty patients with mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT)-type lymphoma were enrolled. Tolerability was excellent, with only 3 mild local reactions. After weekly injections, 11 patients achieved tumor regression, 8 had stable disease, and 1 experienced progressive disease; 9 patients received autologous serum, with response improvement in 4 cases (3 complete responses, 1 partial response). At the end of treatment, 12 patients achieved a complete remission, and 1 achieved a partial response, with an overall response rate of 65% (95% confidence interval, 45-85). At a median follow-up of 42 months (range, 10-78), 12 patients remain relapse free, with 5-year progression-free survival and time-to-next-treatment rates of 59% ± 11% and 69% ± 11%, respectively. Three patients with local relapse were retreated with intralesional rituximab and serum; 2 achieved a complete response that lasted 25+ and 38+ months. Thus, intralesional rituximab is a safe and active therapy in patients with relapsed conjunctival MALT lymphoma. The addition of autologous serum improves response in some cases. Retreatment of local relapses can result in a second durable remission.

Helicobacter pylori Infection of the Gastric Mucosa and Ocular Adnexa-Lack of Association With Ocular Adnexal Lymphoma

PURPOSE

Helicobacter pylori could theoretically induce ocular adnexal lymphoma (OAL) via 2 mechanisms: the first is that of infection within the ocular adnexa and the second is that of infection within the gastric mucosa, leading to the malignant transformation of lymphocytes that migrate to the ocular adnexa, forming a primary "ectopic" cancer. This study investigated if an association exists between gastric H. pylori or ocular adnexal H. pylori and OAL.

METHODS

Prospective case-control study including cases with OAL and controls with nonlymphomatous pathologies. Gastric H. pylori infection was assessed via serologic antibody testing. Ocular adnexal infection was assessed via polymerase chain reaction testing for H. pylori and Chlamydia psittaci within ocular adnexal samples.

RESULTS

Seventy-two patients were enrolled, of whom 18 had lymphoma and 54 nonlymphomatous pathologies. H. pylori antibodies were present in 5 cases (28%) and 18 controls (33%) (95% CI, 0.24%-2.50%, p = 0.78). All ocular adnexal specimens were negative for H. pylori and C. psittaci infection. The only relevant statistically significant difference between cases and controls was a history of gastric ulcer (95% CI, 1.23%-44.80%, p = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

In the study's population, infection of gastric mucosa with H. pylori does not appear to influence the development of OAL. Also, H. pylori or C. psittaci infection within the ocular adnexa does not appear to influence the development of OAL. In the study's practice, authors do not recommend antibiotic administration or routine gastroscopy for patients with OAL. The authors do recommend referral of OAL patients with gastric symptoms to a gastroenterologist.

Incidence and trends of ophthalmic cancer in Singapore: Data from Singapore Cancer Registry

INTRODUCTION

Limited data are available on the incidence of primary ophthalmic cancers worldwide. We describe the incidence and trends of primary ophthalmic cancers in Singapore.

METHODS

Data on ophthalmic cancers diagnosed in Singapore from 1996 to 2016 were retrieved from the Singapore Cancer Registry for analysis. All were histologically proven primary ophthalmic cancers. Calculations of incidence and age-specific frequency of ophthalmic malignancy were made.

RESULTS

A total of 297 cases were included, with males constituting 59.9%. The race distribution was 78.5% Chinese, 16.5% Malay, 3.7% Indians and 1.3% others. There was an overall increase in ophthalmic malignancies. The mean age of onset was 47.4 years. The most common cancers were retinoblastoma (93.3%) in patients younger than 15 years, and lymphoma (71.3%) in patients aged 15 years and older. There has been an increase in lymphomas from 16.7% in 1968-1995 to 71.3% in 1996-2016 in those aged 15 years and older. The most common types of ophthalmic cancer according to location are lymphoma of the orbit, conjunctiva, cornea and lacrimal gland; retinoblastoma of the retina; and malignant melanoma of the choroid and ciliary body.

CONCLUSION

Our study reported the incidence and trends of ophthalmic cancer in the Singapore population and showed an overall increase in ophthalmic malignancies in Singapore from 1996-2016. A substantial increase in lymphomas over the last 2 decades was noted. The data could aid clinicians, epidemiologists and policymakers in implementing strategies to address trends in ophthalmic cancers and spur aetiological research to improve quality of life in patients with such cancers.

Morphologic Cross-Sectional Imaging Features of IgG4-Related Orbitopathy in Comparison to Ocular Adnexal Lymphoma

Aim

To detect radiological features that, in addition to clinical findings, may aid in correct differentiation between IgG4-related ophthalmic disease (IgG4-ROD) and ocular adnexal lymphoma (OAL).

Methods

In this retrospective, single-center, comparative analysis, we compared cross-sectional imaging findings of 13 consecutive patients with histologically proven IgG4-ROD and a control group of 29 consecutive OAL-patients diagnosed between 10/2014 and 09/2019. Statistical significance was accepted at a p<0.05 significance level.

Results

IgG4-ROD-patients had longer time-to-diagnosis, higher orbital recurrence rates, but smaller lesions compared to OAL-patients (p=0.002; p=0.006 and p=0.006; Mann–Whitney U-test). Frequent cross-sectional imaging findings in both IgG4-ROD-patients and OAL-patients included extraocular muscle enlargement (92% and 93%, respectively; most often in the lateral rectus muscles and the levator-complex), and lacrimal-gland enlargement (85% and 83%, respectively). Other imaging findings comprised infraorbital nerve-involvement (IgG4-ROD, 23%, OAL, 17%) and orbital fat inflammation (IgG4-ROD, 23%, OAL, 28%). Bony infiltration and remodeling, heterogenous contrast-media distribution, and infiltration of the lacrimal system were seen slightly more often in IgG4-ROD (23%, 38%, 15% and 15% versus 17%, 14%, 3% and 7%). However, cross-sectional imaging features did not differ significantly between patient subgroups. Clinical symptoms predominantly occurred unilaterally (IgG4-ROD, 9/13, 69%, OAL, 24/29, 83%), while imaging findings were most often bilateral (IgG4-ROD, 11/13, 85%, OAL, 23/29, 79%, p<0.001, McNemar test).

Conclusion

No morphological cross-sectional imaging sign could reliably distinguish between IgG4-ROD and OAL, leaving histopathology indispensable for definite diagnosis. Yet, importantly, for both IgG4-ROD and OAL, cross-sectional imaging frequently detected bilateral orbital disease when only one eye was clinically affected.

Augenbefall und Systemerkrankung – periokuläre und intraokuläre Lymphome

Hintergrund

Das okuläre Lymphom wird anhand seiner anatomischen Lokalisation in die intraokulären und periokulären Lymphome eingeteilt. Intraokulär kann die Uvea mit ihren Strukturen betroffen sein oder die Retina in Verbindung mit dem Glaskörper. Die periokulären Lymphome treten in Orbita, Bindehaut, Tränenapparat oder Lid auf. Von großer Bedeutung ist die Unterscheidung zwischen primären Lymphomen der Region oder systemischem Befall. Über die letzten Jahrzehnte konnte in den westlichen Ländern eine konstant steigende Inzidenz okulärer Lymphome nachgewiesen werden.

Ziel

Dieser Beitrag soll einen Überblick über die vielfältigen Manifestationen, Diagnostik, Therapie sowie Prognose und Nachsorge geben.

Material und Methoden

Der Beitrag basiert auf einer selektiven Literaturrecherche über die MEDLINE-Datenbank zum Thema okuläre Lymphome sowie den persönlichen Erfahrungen der Autoren.

Ergebnisse

Je nach Lokalisation können die Symptome sehr unterschiedlich sein. Die Diagnose erfolgt über eine Probebiopsie und anschließende zytologische/histologische und ggf. molekularpathologische Untersuchung. Strahlentherapeutische sowie systemische Verfahren stellen die am häufigsten angewendeten Therapieverfahren dar. Die Prognose hängt sehr stark von der Lokalisation, dem Subtyp des Lymphoms sowie dem Ausmaß des Tumorbefalls ab.

Diskussion

Das okuläre Lymphom berührt in Diagnostik, Therapie und Nachsorge die Schnittstellen zwischen Ophthalmologie, (Hämato‑)Onkologie, Strahlentherapie, Neurologie, Neurochirurgie, Mund-Kiefer-Gesichts-Chirurgie, Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Heilkunde, Dermatologie, Radiologie, Pathologie und Psychoonkologie. Dabei spielt der Augenarzt als Eingangsarzt bei dieser Systemerkrankung eine wesentliche Rolle.

Orbital and ocular adnexal lymphoma: a review of epidemiology and prognostic factors in Taiwan

PURPOSE

To investigate the clinical features, prognostic outcomes of patients with orbital and ocular adnexal lymphoma (OALs) in Taiwanese cohort.

METHODS

Total 112 patients with OALs were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic information such as age, gender, lymphoma subtype, tumor location and treatment modalities were recorded. The primary endpoints were disease-specific survival (DSS), and progression-free survival (PFS).

RESULTS

The mean patient age was 59.0 ± 15.5 years (range, 23-92 years). The major histopathologic subtypes were mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma in 76 patients (67.9%), followed by diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) (9.8%), follicular cell lymphoma (FL) (8.0%), and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) (5.4%). The anatomical locations for OALs were the orbit (44 patients, 39.3%), the conjunctiva (31 patients, 27.7%), the lacrimal gland (28 patients, 25.0%), and the eyelid (8 patients, 7.1%). With a mean follow-up time of 74.5 ± 59.8 months (range 6-342 months), the DSS for all patients were 93.1%, 87.7%, and 68.8% at 60, 120, and 180 months' follow-up, respectively. The PFS at 60, 120, and 180 months' follow-up were 86.2%, 61.2%, and 44.6%, respectively. Regarding the analysis of prognostic factors, patients with high grade lymphoma subtype and advanced stage exhibited a worse prognosis.

CONCLUSIONS

MALT type lymphoma constitutes most of OALs in Taiwan and occurs more frequently than in Western countries. Patients with MALT lymphoma, FL, SLL and earlier stage have favorable outcomes compared with patients of high grade lymphoma and Ann Arbor stage IV lymphoma.

Ocular adnexal lymphoma in Denmark: a nationwide study of 387 cases from 1980 to 2017

BACKGROUND

Nationwide studies of ocular adnexal lymphoma (OAL) are very rare in the literature, and knowledge on incidence, subtype distribution and long-term survival data is limited. This is the largest national study of OAL to date. This study sought to find information on incidence, changes in incidence, clinical findings, distribution of subtypes, survival and prognostic factors.

METHODS

Patients diagnosed with OAL from January 1, 1980 to December 31, 2017 were identified in Danish registers, and clinical as well as survival data were collected. The data were analysed with Kaplan-Meier plots and log-rank test.

RESULTS

387 patients were included in the study. The major lymphoma subtypes were extranodal marginal-zone B cell lymphoma (EMZL) (55%), diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) (13%), mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) (11%) and follicular lymphoma (FL) (10%). OAL is a disease of the elderly (median age 69 years). The incidence of lymphoma of the ocular adnexal region has increased significantly throughout the time period of the study (Pearson correlation coefficient, r=0.65; P<0.001). In the period 1980-1984, the incidence was 0.086 per 100 000, which increased to 0.307 per 100 000 in the period 2013-2017. Low-grade, low-stage primary lymphomas were treated with radiotherapy, whereas patients with high-stage, high-grade and/or relapsed disease were treated with chemotherapy. Low-grade subtypes EMZL (89%) and FL (56%) had better 10-year disease-specific survival than the high-grade lymphomas DLBCL (38%) and MCL (31%)(p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

OAL is increasing in incidence in the Danish population for unknown reasons. However, the prognosis for most OAL is favourable, as highlighted in this national long-term study.

Paediatric ocular adnexal lymphoma: a population-based analysis

Objective

To investigate the incidence, clinicopathological characteristics and survival of ocular adnexal lymphoma (OAL) in the paediatric population.

Methods and analysis

In this retrospective case series, the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database was accessed to identify individuals with OAL ≤18 years of age, diagnosed between 1973 and 2015. OAL located in the eyelid, conjunctiva, lacrimal apparatus and orbit were included. Main outcome measures were the age-adjusted incidence rates (IRs) per 1 000 000 population at risk (calculated for the period 2000–2015) and descriptive statistics of demographic and clinicopathological features.

Results

The IR of paediatric OAL was 0.12 (95% CI 0.08 to 0.16) per 1 000 000. Males (0.15; 95% CI 0.10 to 0.22) and blacks (0.24; 95% CI 0.13 to 0.42) had a higher tendency for OAL development. A total of 55 tumours in 54 children were identified. The majority were localised (78.4%), conjunctival (49.1%) lymphomas. Extranodal marginal zone lymphoma (EMZL, 45.5%, n=25) was the most frequent subtype, followed by diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL, 9.1%, n=5), B lymphoblastic lymphoma (7.3%, n=4), follicular lymphoma (5.5%, n=3), Burkitt lymphoma (5.5%, n=3), anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL, 3.6%, n=2), small lymphocytic lymphoma (1.8%, n=1), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, immunoblastic (1.8%, n=1) and panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma (1.8%, n=1). Localised, low-grade, conjunctival lymphomas were frequently treated with complete excision with or without radiation, while high-grade and distant tumours usually received chemotherapy. Only 29.1% of paediatric OAL cases were treated with radiation. Three out of five (60%) patients with DLBCL died of lymphoma at a median follow-up of 21 (range 10–86) months, and 1 out of 2 (50%) patients with ALCL died of lymphoma at 23 months from diagnosis.

Conclusion

OAL in the paediatric population is rare. The majority of OAL are EMZL and are characterised by excellent prognosis. The histological subtype was found to be the main predictor of outcome with cancer-specific deaths observed in patients with DLBCL and ALCL.

TBL1XR1 Mutations in Primary Marginal Zone Lymphomas of Ocular Adnexa are Associated with Unique Morphometric Phenotypes

PURPOSE

Extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma (EMZL) of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) that affects the ocular adnexa, also known as ocular adnexal MALT lymphomas (OAML), are low-grade lymphomas that mostly affect elderly individuals. This study was conducted to explore the genetic and microbial drivers of OMAL, and unique morphometric phenotypes associated with these mutations and infections.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this study, we performed targeted deep sequencing of 8 OAML cases to identify its potential genetic and microbial drivers. We additionally performed computational digital image analysis of cases to determine if morphologic features corresponded to genetic mutations and disease biology.

RESULTS

We identified TBL1XR1 as recurrently mutated in OAML (4/8), and mutations in several other oncogenes, tumor suppressors, transcription regulators, and chromatin remodeling genes. Morphologically, OAML cases with mutations in TBL1XR1 showed lymphoma cells with significantly lower circularity and solidity by computational digital image analysis (p-value <0.0001). Additionally, cases of OAML with mutations in TBL1XR1 showed equivalent or increased vascular density compared to cases without mutations in TBL1XR1. Finally, we did not find any infectious microbial organisms associated with OAML.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study showed recurrent mutations in TBL1XR1 are associated with unique morphometric phenotypes in OMAL cases. Additionally, mutations in genes associated with the methylation status of histone 3, nuclear factor (NF)-κB pathway, and NOTCH pathway were enriched in OMAL cases. Our findings have biologic and clinical implications as mutations in TBL1XR1 and other genes have the potential to be used as markers for the diagnosis of OAML, and also demonstrate a specific biologic phenotypic manifestation of TBL1XR1 mutations.

High throughput sequencing reveals high specificity of TNFAIP3 mutations in ocular adnexal marginal zone B-cell lymphomas

The majority of ocular adnexal (OA) lymphomas (OAL) are extranodal marginal zone lymphomas (MZL). First high throughput sequencing (HTS) studies on OA-MZL showed inconsistent results and the distribution of mutations in reactive lymphoid lesions of this anatomic region has not yet been sufficiently addressed. We characterized OAL and lymphoid lesions of the OA by targeted HTS. The study included 34 OA-MZL, 11 chronic conjunctivitis, five mature small cell B-cell lymphomas spreading to the OA, five diseases with increase of IgG4+ plasma cells, three Burkitt lymphomas (BL), three diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL), three mantle cell lymphomas, three idiopathic orbital inflammations/orbital pseudo tumors (PT), and three OA lymphoid hyperplasia. All cases were negative for Chlamydia. The mutational number was highest in BL and lowest in PT. The most commonly (and exclusively) mutated gene in OA-MZL was TNFAIP3 (10 of 34 cases). Altogether, 20 out of 34 patients harbored mutually exclusive mutations of either TNFAIP3, BCL10, MYD88, ATM, BRAF, or NFKBIE, or nonexclusive mutations of IRF8, TNFRSF14, KLHL6, and TBL1XR1, all encoding for NK-κB pathway compounds or regulators. Thirteen patients (38%) had, to a great part, mutually exclusive mutations of chromatin modifier-encoding genes: KMT2D, CREBBP, BCL7A, DNMT3A, EP300, or HIST1H1E. Only four patients harbored co-occurring mutations of genes encoding for NK-κB compounds and chromatin modifiers. Finally, PTEN, KMT2D, PRDM1, and HIST1H2BK mutations were observable in reactive lymphoid lesions too, while such instances were devoid of NF-κB compound mutations and/or mutations of acetyltransferase-encoding genes. In conclusion, 80% of OA-MZL display mutations of either NK-κB compounds or chromatin modifiers. Lymphoid lesions of the OA bearing NF-κB compound mutations and/or mutations of acetyltransferase-encoding genes highly likely represent lymphomas.

Radiotherapy alone for stage IE ocular adnexal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphomas: long-term results

Background

To evaluate the long-term efficacy and toxicity of radiation therapy in patients with Stage IE primary ocular adnexal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma.

Methods

We designed a retrospective analysis to evaluate 81 patients with ocular adnexal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma treated with radiation therapy between 2006 and 2016. The median radiation dose was 30 Gy (range, 30–36 Gy in 15–18 fractions). Local control, progression-free survival, overall survival, and cumulative incidence of Grade 3 cataract were calculated by using the Kaplan–Meier method.

Result

The median follow-up time was 74 months (range, 4–157 months). The 5-year local control was 100%. Although local relapse was suspected in 3 patients after radiation therapy, 2 patients were pathologically diagnosed as IgG4-related inflammation and in 1 patient as intense inflammatory cell infiltration. The 5-year progression-free survival was 94.4%. Five patients had relapse at distant sites. The 5-year overall survival was 98.8%. Twenty patients had Grade 3 cataract. The 5-year cumulative incidences of Grade ≥ 3 and Grade ≥ 2 cataract for 58 patients treated without a lens shield were 38 and 40%, respectively. The incidence of Grade ≥ 3 cataract was 42% for 50 patients treated with 6-MV X-rays (estimated lens dose: 29 Gy) and 17% for 8 patients treated with 9-MeV electrons (estimated lens dose: 24 Gy).

Conclusions

Radiation therapy alone yielded excellent local control and long-term survival in Stage IE ocular adnexal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. Long-term observation with careful attention to relapse at distant sites is necessary. In the case of suspected local relapse, IgG4-related disease should be carefully ruled out.

Clinical features and treatment outcomes of primary ocular adnexal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma: a single center retrospective analysis of 64 patients in China

AIM

To investigate the clinical features, treatment and prognosis of primary ocular adnexal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (POAML).

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed on 64 patients with POAML who were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2006 to December 2018.

RESULTS

With a median follow-up of 61mo (range, 2-156mo), estimated overall survival (OS) rate and progression-free survival (PFS) rate at 10y reached 94.5% and 61.5%, respectively. Median OS time and PFS time were not reached. During this period, only 3 patients died, but none of them died directly due to disease progression. One patient (1.6%) developed transformation to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Of the 56 patients achieved complete remission after first-line treatment, 5 (8.9%) developed local and/or systemic relapse eventually. Patients ≥60y had significantly shorter PFS than younger patients (P=0.01). For patients with early stages (Ann Arbor stage I and stage II), univariate analysis confirmed that radiotherapy dose lower than 32 Gy were independently associated with shorter PFS (P=0.04). Other factors including gender, bone marrow involvement, the initial location of the disease, and the laterality were not associated with PFS.

CONCLUSION

The data from our center indicate that POAML has a slow clinical progression and has an excellent clinical outcome. Patients with POAML harbor a continual risk of relaps and transformation to aggressive subtype of lymphoma.

Epidemiology of ophthalmic lymphoma in Canada during 1992-2010

BACKGROUND

Ophthalmic lymphoma (OL) is the most common orbital tumour, particularly in older individuals. Little is known about the epidemiology and geographic distribution of OL in Canada. Descriptive demographic statistics are an important first step in understanding OL burden and are necessary to inform comprehensive national cancer prevention programmes.

METHODS

We determined patterns of incidence and geographical distribution of the three major subtypes of OL: extranodal marginal zone B cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma (FL) and diffuse large B cell lymphoma. Here, we used cases that were diagnosed during 1992-2010 using two independent population-based cancer registries, the Canadian Cancer Registry and Le Registre Québécois du Cancer (LRQC).

RESULTS

The OL mean annual age-standardised incidence rate for 1992-2010 was 0.65 cases per million people per year with an average annual increase in the incidence rate of 4.5% per year. The mean age of diagnosis was 65 years. OL incidence rate was the highest in the cities located along the heavily industrialised Strait of Georgia in British Columbia.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data on patient age, sex and temporal trends showed similarities with data reported in the USA and Denmark. Additional studies are needed to determine whether the observed increase in OL incidence is genuine or spurious.

Combined positron emission tomography/computed tomography for diagnosis and monitoring of orbital adnexal lymphoma

PURPOSE

Combined whole-body F-18-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography / computed tomography ([18F]FDG-PET/CT) gives precise information about tumour morphology and metabolism. The standardized uptake value (SUV) allows quantification of tumour metabolism. The diagnostic value of PET/CT in patients with suspected orbital adnexal lymphoma (OAL) was evaluated.

METHODS

Of 21 patients with suspected OAL who underwent combined whole-body PET/CT between 07/2002 and 11/2016, 16 were scanned before and five after orbital biopsy. Histological tumour determination was performed in all cases via biopsy. Correlation between SUV_max and therapeutic status, lymphoma stage (Ann Arbor classification) and histological grading was tested.

RESULTS

All lesions could be depicted by combined whole-body PET/CT. Histology confirmed two malignant T-cell and 18 malignant B cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas as well as one patient suffering from systemic lymphoma with chronic polypoid sinusitis. SUV_max levels of orbital findings were significantly lower after therapy (p < 0.001; Fisher's exact test). Higher stage lymphomas (Ann Arbor classification) expressed significantly higher SUV_max levels (p = 0.014; Fisher's exact test). There was no significant correlation of SUV_max values and histologic grading in this patient collective.

CONCLUSION

Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) depicted vital tumour metabolism of OALs accurately. In cases scanned after orbital biopsy and under systemic therapy, no elevated tumour metabolic activity was expressed. This underlines the reasonable application of PET/CT for therapy monitoring besides whole-body staging. Higher-stage OALs show higher metabolic activity. Yet, for adequate therapy initiation, histology remains indispensable.

Immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-Positive Ocular Adnexal Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Lymphoma and Idiopathic Orbital Inflammation

PURPOSE

To report clinical and pathological characteristics of idiopathic orbital inflammation and ocular adnexal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma with immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-positive plasma cells.

METHODS

A retrospective histopathological review and clinical case series. A total of 51 biopsy samples from January 2005 to December 2015 were used in this study, including 21 cases of biopsy-confirmed idiopathic orbital inflammation and 30 cases of biopsy-confirmed ocular adnexal MALT lymphoma. Most cases of ocular adnexal lymphoma were conjunctival tissue. Retrospective immunohistochemical studies were performed to estimate the IgG4 and IgG4/IgG ratios. Histopathologic features, demographic and clinical data, radiologic findings, treatment, and follow-up information for each patient were analyzed.

RESULTS

Among idiopathic orbital inflammation, 6 (28.6%) of the 21 patients were diagnosed as "probable" ocular adnexal IgG4-related diseases and 13 (43.3%) of the 30 patients were diagnosed as MALT lymphoma with IgG4-positive plasma cells. Six cases of 13 IgG4-positive MALT lymphoma group had contralateral chronic inflammatory lesions infiltrated by IgG4-positive plasma cells, which was significantly (p = 0.007) higher than that in the IgG4-negative group. Conjunctival involvement was 69% of the IgG4-positive MALT lymphoma cases. Bilateral involvement of the ocular adnexa was significantly (p = 0.02) more frequent among IgG4-positive MALT lymphoma patients than that in IgG4-positive idiopathic orbital inflammation patients. Recurrence rate in the IgG4-positive group was higher (p = 0.05) than that in the IgG4-negative group but not significantly.

CONCLUSIONS

This study presented an unusual framework of ocular adnexal IgG4-related inflammation, in conjunctiva. It is important to understand contralateral chronic inflammatory lesions and their relationship with IgG4-positive MALT lymphoma. Tissue biopsy and IgG4 immunostaining are required for all cases because IgG4-positive MALT lymphoma can arise from a pre-existing IgG4-positive chronic inflammatory lesions. This is the first study that performs IgG4 immunostaining for tissue from a relatively large number of conjunctival MALT lymphomas in a single center. Therefore, it will help to diagnose conjunctival lymphoproliferative disease.

A Glimpse into Uveitis in the Aging Eye: Pathophysiology, Clinical Presentation and Treatment Considerations

Uveitis describes a group of inflammatory conditions of the eye that have various underlying causes and clinical presentations. Susceptibilities to uveitis in the elderly may be attributed to age-related risk factors such as immunosenescence, increased immunological inflammatory mediators, and autoimmunity. Overall, anterior uveitis is more common than posterior and panuveitis in the general population and also in the elderly. Some causes of uveitis in the elderly are herpes simplex virus, ocular ischemic syndrome, sarcoidosis, and central nervous system lymphoma, and these will be discussed in detail herein. Eye care professionals need to consider the wide differential for uveitis, obtain the appropriate history, conduct a detailed clinical examination, and tailor management to the clinical presentation and underlying cause of disease. The challenges of polypharmacy and nonadherence in the elderly impact patient outcomes and must be taken into consideration when considering treatment.

Cognitive biases in orbital mass lesions - Lessons learned

Purpose

A patient’s presentation and clinical diagnosis can at times be clouded by their past medical history. Clinicians’ anchoring bias towards initial information, such as a history of cancer, may lead them astray when creating a differential diagnosis for a patient who presents with new signs and symptoms of a mass lesion, assuming metastatic disease without seeking tissue confirmation.

Methods

The presentation, workup, diagnosis, and treatment of two patients who presented with orbital masses in the context of a primary prostate cancer are presented in this report.

Results

In both cases, prostate cancer metastasis to the orbit was top on the differential. Ultimately, histopathological examination of biopsies taken from the orbital masses revealed orbital lymphoma in both patients.

Conclusion

With mounting rates of patients who have survived a previous cancer, multiple primary cancers within one patient are becoming increasingly common. While prostate cancer metastasis to the orbit is a relatively rare event, orbital lymphoma is a more common diagnosis in orbital masses. Therefore, when patients present with orbital masses in the context of prostate cancer, the conclusion should not immediately be metastasis and a tissue diagnosis should be sought; especially given that the treatment of these entities is different.

Chemotherapy alone is an alternative treatment in treating localized primary ocular adnexal lymphomas

This study investigated the treatment efficacy and long-term adverse effects of various treatment modalities for primary ocular adnexal lymphomas (POALs). We retrospectively reviewed 107 patients who received first-line chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and other treatment modalities from 1990 to 2015. Nighty-three (87%) patients were diagnosed with mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma, with the orbit being the most common site (49 patients, 46%). Among 91 patients with stage I–IIE1 disease, 26 underwent chemotherapy, 34 underwent radiotherapy, and 31 received other treatment modalities. For chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and other treatment modalities, the 5-year event-free survival (EFS) rates were 90.0%, 89.7%, and 85.8% and the 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 100%, 90.4%, and 87.5%, respectively. Moreover, among 80 patients with stage I–IIE1 MALT lymphoma, the complete remission, 5-year EFS and OS rates were not significantly different between patients receiving chemotherapy and those receiving radiotherapy. Among 16 patients with stage IIE2–IVE disease, the 5-year EFS rates for chemotherapy alone (n = 11) and combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy (n = 5) were 61.7% and 80%, respectively, whereas the 5-year OS rate for both groups was 80.0%. Neutropenia (15.2%) was the most common side effect in patients who received chemotherapy, whereas cataract (16.3%) was the most common late sequela in patients who received radiotherapy. Multivariate analysis revealed that old age (> 60 y) and an advanced stage (stage III/IV) were prognostic factors for poor OS. Our results indicate that chemotherapy yields satisfactory disease control and fewer side effects, and acts as an alternative therapy for patients with localized POALs.

Extranodal Marginal Zone B-cell Lymphoma of the Ocular Adnexa

BACKGROUND

Low-grade B-cell lymphomas located around the eye present unique challenges in diagnosis and treatment. Extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma is the most common lymphoma of the ocular adnexa (conjunctiva, orbit, lacrimal gland, and eyelid).

METHODS

A systematic search of the relevant literature was performed. Material pertinent to the diagnosis, prognosis, pathogenesis, and treatment of extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of the ocular adnexa was identified, reviewed, and analyzed, focusing on management strategies for primary localized disease.

RESULTS

The primary cause of extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of the ocular adnexa remains elusive, although an infectious agent is suspected. Radiotherapy is the most common initial treatment for localized disease. Initial treatment with chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and antibiotics has shown promising results, but the number of series is limited and controlled trials do not exist.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the long-term outcome of localized extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of the ocular adnexa is good, optimal treatment remains a goal. The variation in rates of local and systemic relapse among treated stage 1E tumors suggests that critical factors affecting outcomes are not fully understood. Radiotherapy is the standard of care; at this time, the evidence is insufficient to recommend chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or antibiotics for initial treatment of extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma localized to the ocular adnexa. Well-controlled comparative studies are needed.

Incidence of orbital, conjunctival and lacrimal gland malignant tumors in USA from Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results, 1973-2009

AIM

To determine the types and incidence of tumors affecting the orbit, conjunctiva and lacrimal glands and to study the trend line of these tumors in the United States from 1973 to 2009.

METHODS

We used the publicly available Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database registries to determine the incidence rates. Age was adjusted to the 2000 US Standard Population. Patients were stratified according to age group, gender, race and histological grouping of tumor lesions. Three age groups were defined: 0-19, 20-49 and ≥50y. Annual percentage changes were calculated to examine trends.

RESULTS

The overall age adjusted incidence rate was 3.39 (95%CI: 3.27-3.52) per million person-years. The tumors were more prevalent in age group ≥50 counting 9.51 (95%CI: 9.11-9.92) per million person-years. Most of the soft tissue sarcomas occurred in the young age with incidence rate of 0.35 (95%CI: 0.28-0.42) per million person-years. Lymphomas were the dominant subtype in the adult population with incidence rate of 5.74 (95%CI: 5.43-6.06) per million person-years. Incidence rates were higher in males than females with an overall rate ratio of 1.31 (95%CI: 1.21-1.41) mainly caused by the increase in carcinoma subtypes. White race had a higher tumor incidence with a rate ratio of 1.47(95%CI: 1.25-1.73) driven by the higher incidence of most histological subtypes. Orbital tumors showed a higher incidence rate followed by conjunctival and lacrimal gland tumors with incidence rates of 1.59, 1.37 and 0.43 per million person-years respectively. The trend line of overall incidence of tumors showed a significant increase (APC=3.11, 95%CI: 2.61-3.61) mainly due to increase of lymphomas. This increase was higher than the increase of lymphomas at other sites.

CONCLUSION

Orbital, conjunctival and lacrimal gland malignant tumors differ among children and adults. Over the years there has been a noticeable increase in incidence rates of orbital and lacrimal gland tumors mainly caused by an increase in lymphomas and an apparent increase due to advances in diagnostic techniques. ICD-O-3 topographical coding should be improved to consider the different orbital bones and ocular structures.

Ocular adnexal marginal zone lymphoma: Clinical presentation, pathogenesis, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment

Ocular adnexal marginal zone lymphoma (OAML) represents 1-2% of all non Hodgkin lymphomas. In the last few years many advances in understanding the pathogenesis and the molecular basis involved in its development have been done. Many potential risk factors have been proposed; a dysregulation of immune response in association with a chronic antigenic stimulation, have been hypothesized as possible pathogenic mechanism. In particular, Chlamydia psittaci infection has been related to OAML arising, and eradicating antibiotic therapy has been addressed as a safe and cost-effective approach. Management of OAML is still heterogeneous and matter of debate. There is no consensus about the best upfront treatment and therapeutic decision should take into account several patient-, lymphoma- and treatment-related factors. Novel agents and chemotherapy-free strategies are being investigated to reduce side effects and improve tumor control. This review is focused in recent knowledge improvements in this lymphoma.

Comprehensive genomic profiling of orbital and ocular adnexal lymphomas identifies frequent alterations in MYD88 and chromatin modifiers: new routes to targeted therapies

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the orbit and ocular adnexa is the most common primary orbital malignancy. Treatments for low- (extra-nodal marginal zone and follicular lymphomas) and high-grade (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma) are associated with local and vision-threatening toxicities. High-grade lymphomas relapse frequently and exhibit poor survival rates. Despite advances in genomic profiling and precision medicine, orbital and ocular adnexal lymphomas remain poorly characterized molecularly. We performed targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) profiling of 38 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded orbital and ocular adnexal lymphomas obtained from a single-center using a panel targeting near-term, clinically relevant genes. Potentially actionable mutations and copy number alterations were prioritized based on gain- and loss-of-function analyses, and catalogued, approved, and investigational therapies. Of 36 informative samples, including marginal zone lymphomas (n=20), follicular lymphomas (n=9), and diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (n=7), 53% harbored a prioritized alteration (median=1, range 0-5/sample). MYD88 was the most frequently altered gene in our cohort, with potentially clinically relevant hotspot gain-of-function mutations identified in 71% of diffuse large B-cell lymphomas and 25% of marginal zone lymphomas. Prioritized alterations in epigenetic modulators were common and included gain-of-function EZH2 and loss-of-function ARID1A mutations (14% of diffuse large B-cell lymphomas and 22% of follicular lymphomas contained alterations in each of these two genes). Single prioritized alterations were also identified in the histone methyltransferases KMT2B (follicular lymphoma) and KMT3B (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma). Loss-of-function mutations and copy number alterations in the tumor suppressors TP53 (diffuse large B-cell and follicular lymphoma), CDKN2A (diffuse large B-cell and marginal zone lymphoma), PTEN (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma), ATM (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma), and NF1 (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma), and gain-of-function mutations in the oncogenes HRAS (follicular lymphoma) and NRAS (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma) were also observed. Together, our study demonstrates that NGS can be used to profile routine formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded orbital and ocular adnexal lymphomas for identification of somatic-driving alterations and nomination of potential therapeutic strategies.

Ocular Adnexal Lymphoma Presenting with Visual Loss

Context:

Elderly patients with visual loss often have age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and cataract as common causes of visual loss. Other less common etiologies should be considered, especially in those presenting with systemic associations.

Case Report:

The patient discussed in our review is an 80-year-old female, with a history of diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration who presented with a sudden deterioration of vision. While this was initially attributed to diabetic retinopathy, she was eventually noted to have a salmon patch lesion in her conjunctiva, diagnosed on biopsy to be a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

Conclusion:

Because of the significant rate of disseminated disease among patients with lymphomas in the orbit that carries a worse prognosis, early diagnosis is essential to promote better overall survival of these patients. We describe here a patient diagnosed with conjunctival lymphoma associated with pronounced visual loss and review the literature on this subject.

[Lymphoma of the ocular adnexa]

BACKGROUND

Lymphomas of the ocular adnexa are heterogeneous and demonstrate a wide range of clinical, histological, immunohistochemical and molecular genetic characteristics.

AIM

The aim of this article is to give an overview of the interdisciplinary diagnostics and individually adapted lymphoma subtype-based therapy.

DIAGNOSTICS

Depending on the lymphoma localisation, i.e. whether in the eyelid, the conjunctiva or in the orbit, a photograph or a radiological scan is required to record the tumor extent. Visual function is more likely to be impacted when the lymphoma arises in the posterior orbit, close to the optic nerve and imaging diagnostics are therefore necessary. Histological investigations are essential for confirming the lymphoma diagnosis and give information about the particular subtype, which in turn will determine subsequent patient management, Clinical staging investigations for determining the systemic extent of the lymphoma manifestation (e.g. imaging, blood analyses as well as bone marrow biopsy) are mandatory.

THERAPY

External beam radiation, local and systemic chemotherapy or in some cases antibiotics are treatment options after surgical excision in isolated ocular adnexal lymphoma. The TNM classification of the American Joint Committee on Cancer or the Ann Arbor staging system, as well as the guidelines of the German Society of Hematology and Medical Oncology are all tools to aid the choice of the appropriate individually adapted therapy for systemic disease, which includes psycho-oncological care.

Infectious Aetiology of Marginal Zone Lymphoma and Role of Anti-Infective Therapy

Marginal zone lymphomas have been associated with several infectious agents covering both viral and bacterial pathogens and in some cases a clear aetiological role has been established. Pathogenetic mechanisms are currently not completely understood. However, the role of chronic stimulation of the host immune response with persistent lymphocyte activation represents the most convincing explanation for lymphoproliferation. Gastric MALT lymphoma is strictly associated with Helicobacter pylori infection and various eradicating protocols, developed due to increasing antibiotic resistance, represent the first line therapy for gastric MALT. The response rate to eradication is good with 80% of response at 1 year; this finding is also noteworthy because it recapitulates cancer cured only by the antibacterial approach and it satisfies the Koch postulates of causation, establishing a causative relationship between Hp and gastric MALT lymphoma. Patients with chronic HCV infection have 5 times higher risk to develop MZL, in particular, an association with splenic and nodal MZL has been shown in several studies. Moreover, there is evidence of lymphoma regression after antiviral therapy with interferon+ribavirin, thus raising hope that newly available drugs, extremely efficient against HCV replication, could improve outcome also in HCV-driven lymphomas. Another case-study are represented by those rare cases of MZL localized to orbital fat and eye conjunctivas that have been associated with Chlamydophila psittaci infection carried by birds. Efficacy of antibacterial therapy against C. psittaci are conflicting and generally poorer than gastric MALT. Finally, some case reports will cover the relationship between primary cutaneous B-cell Lymphomas and Borrelia Burgdorferi.

Clinicopathologic Study of Chromosomal Aberrations in Ocular Adnexal Lymphomas of Korean Patients

Purpose

The incidence and clinical correlation of MALT1 translocation and chromosomal numerical aberrations in Korean patients with ocular adnexal mucosa associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma have not yet been reported. We investigated the incidence and clinicopathologic relationship of these chromosomal aberrations in ocular adnexal MALT lymphomas in a Korean population.

Methods

Thirty ocular adnexal MALT lymphomas were investigated for the t(11;18) API2-MALT1, t(14;18) IgH-MALT1 translocations and chromosomes 3 and 18 aneuploidies using fluorescence in situ hybridization. Patient medical records were reviewed retrospectively for information on demographics and clinical characteristics, including treatment response.

Results

The MALT1 gene rearrangement was found in one out of 30 cases. The t(14;18) IgH-MALT1 translocation was demonstrated in only one case (3.3%), and the t(11;18) API2-MALT1 translocation was not found in any of the cases. Trisomy 3 was observed in three ocular adnexal MALT lymphomas (10.0%), and five cases showed trisomy 18 (16.7%). Translocation positive cases also showed trisomy 18. One case of tumor relapse showed trisomy 18 only in the recurrent biopsies. There were no statistically significant correlations between chromosomal aberrations and clinical characteristics and treatment responses.

Conclusions

Translocations involving the MALT1 gene are not common in Korean ocular adnexal MALT lymphomas. The t(14;18) translocation was detected in only one out of 30 cases, and the t(11;18) translocation was not found at all. Furthermore, the chromosomal aberrations found in this study had no prognostic implications.

Rituximab as Single Agent in Primary MALT Lymphoma of the Ocular Adnexa

Ocular Adnexal Lymphomas are the first cause of primary ocular malignancies, and among them the most common are MALT Ocular Adnexal Lymphomas. Recently systemic immunotherapy with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody has been investigated as first-line treatment; however, the optimal management for MALT Ocular Adnexal Lymphomas is still unknown. The present study evaluated retrospectively the outcome of seven consecutive patients with primary MALT Ocular Adnexal Lymphomas, of whom six were treated with single agent Rituximab. All patients received 6 cycles of Rituximab 375 mg/mq every 3 weeks intravenously. The overall response rate was 100%; four patients (67%) achieved a Complete Remission, and two (33%) achieved a partial response. In four patients an additional Rituximab maintenance every 2-3 months was given for two years. After a median follow-up of 29 months (range 8-34), no recurrences were observed, without of therapy- or disease-related severe adverse events. None of the patients needed additional radiotherapy or other treatments. Rituximab as a single agent is highly effective and tolerable in first-line treatment of primary MALT Ocular adnexal Lymphomas. Furthermore, durable responses are achievable with the same-agent maintenance. Rituximab can be considered the agent of choice in the management of an indolent disease in whom the "quality of life" matter is of primary importance.