Sinonasal (angiocentric) T/NK cell lymphoma: report of a case with a -12-year history free of recurrent/residual disease and a sudden deterioration.

This report describes a case involving a 78-year-old Caucasian male, whose medical history was significant for sinonasal (angiocentric) T/NK lymphoma, who was treated by surgery and radiation in 1988. After the treatment, the patient was apparently free of residual/recurrent disease for a period of 12 years. There was periodical clinical follow up including repeated biopsies. After this period, the patient suffered from sudden deterioration of the health status with multiorgan involvement by the disease and he died. The diagnosis was confirmed by an autopsy. To our knowledge, this is the fifth reported case with extended survival (more than 12 years) free of recurrent/residual disease after the initial treatment, in which the patients ultimately died because of the disease. These findings suggest the importance of prolonged clinical follow-up in patients with this diagnosis.