Abstract

This report describes a case of angiotropic variant of diffuse large B cell lymphoma within a benign oncocytoma of the lacrimal sac. The occurrence of this rare lymphoma within a benign neoplasm has not been documented previously. An 87 year old woman presented with a swelling over the area of the left lacrimal sac, which histological examination revealed to be an oncocytoma. Many small blood vessels within the tumour were filled with large cytologically atypical cells, which stained positively for leucocyte common antigen and a B cell antigen, CD20, confirming the presence of a large B cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma of angiotropic type. Angiotropic lymphoma is a very rare and usually highly aggressive variant of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which classically involves the central nervous system and skin, but has been described within most organs. Its occurrence within a benign neoplasm is probably coincidental, although a close association between oncocytic epithelium and normal lymphoid cells is recognised in Warthin’s tumour of salivary and lacrimal glands.