Features of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosed in minor salivary gland biopsies from primary Sjögren’s syndrome patients

Abstract

Abstract Objective To evaluate the contribution of minor salivary gland biopsy (mSGB) histology in diagnosing primary SS (pSS)-associated non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma (NHL). Methods pSS patients with mSGB at NHL diagnosis were included. Results Among the 24 patients (92.3% female, mean age 61.3 years) with an mSGB at NHL diagnosis, 13 (54.2%) had mSGB histology–revealed NHL (mSGB+); it was the only site enabling NHL diagnosis in 10/13 (76.9%) patients. Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma was found in 23/24 (95.8%) patients; 100% of mSGB+ identified MALT lymphomas. pSS and lymphoma characteristics were comparable for mSGB+ and mSGB− patients. Eight (61.5%) of the 13 mSGB+ patients and all 11 mSGB− patients were treated for lymphoma. Between diagnosis and 1 year of follow-up, the ESSDAI without the NHL item remained stable (7.4 vs 5.0; P = 0.33) for the five untreated patients, while it decreased significantly for the 19 treated patients (15.8 vs 5.1; P = 0.004). Conclusion For pSS patients with suspected NHL, mSGB histology enabled NHL diagnosis in half of them, MALT was found in 95.8% and all mSGB+ were MALT lymphomas, thereby avoiding more invasive biopsy. Our results suggest that mSGB should be obtained at pSS diagnosis and repeated during follow-up when NHL is suspected.