[Malignant lymphomas with first manifestation in the spine as a rare differential diagnosis of lumbar intervertebral disk syndrome].

Spinal epidural lymphoma need rarely be considered as a cause of lumbar nerve root compression. We report on two patients suffering from malignant epidural non-Hodgkin lymphoma, admitted with clinical and radiological signs of a lumbar herniated disc. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma can affect the spinal cord and nerve roots rarely as an isolated epidural spinal infiltration in the absence of widespread disease or - as in our two cases - as the first feature of disseminated systemic disease. Epidural non-Hodgkin lymphoma with neurological deficits should be treated by early decompressive (hemi-)laminectomy, postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy.