Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTL), nasal type, is often seen in the head and neck region, but there have been rare instances of this disease with initial presentation as a lesion in the oral mucosa. The patient, a woman in her seventh decade of life, presented with an ulcer in the maxillary gingiva, and scraping cytology and biopsy were performed. Cytological specimens showed solitary or small aggregating cells with marked atypia in a necrotic background. Tumor cells were detected that had various nuclear shapes and azure granules in the cytoplasm. Biopsy showed that the tumor cells had diffusely infiltrated or interdigitated into the subepithelium. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the tumor cells had T- and NK cell phenotypes and were Epstein-Barr virus-encoded small RNA (EBER) positive, leading to a diagnosis of ENKTL. Thus, when nonepithelial tumor cells in a necrotic background and prominent atypia are found, as in this case, it is important to carefully observe for azurophil granules in the cytoplasm for differential diagnosis considerations.
Keywords: extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma; oral mucosa; paranasal sinus; scraping cytopathology.
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