S u m m a ry: The authors sumarize recent information on primary extranodal malignant lymphomas (NHL) in the thyroid gland. They supplement the data by their own experience with surgical treatment of NHL of the thyroid gland. They provide evidence that surgical removal of the thyroid gland can be considered a possible therapeutic modality of primary NHL of the thyroid gland. They do not recommend surgical treatment in patients where NHL affects not only the thyroid gland but is also in the lymph nodes or other organs. The authors analyze a group of patients operated in 1991-1998 at the Clinic of otolaryngology and surgery of the head and neck of the First Medical Faculty Charles University and ENT chair of IPVZ in Prague for malignant non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) of the thyroid gland. The group comprised one man (71%) and 13 (92.9%) women. The male/female ratio in the group with NHL is 1:13. The mean age of the group was 66 years. All patients operated for NHL were treated after surgical removal of the thyroid gland by other therapeutic modalities (actinotherapy, chemotherapy). Surgery was indicated in the initial stage as cytoreduction of the basic disease. In all patients after surgery healing per primam was recorded. Five-year survival after initial therapy was evaluated in 9 (64.3%) patients and survival in this group was 8 (88.8%) patients. As a whole at present 11 (78.7%) patients survive incl. one female patient (7.1%) with persistence of the disease. Three patients (21.3%) died. Due to generalization and advanced basic disease (NHL) two patients died (14.2%), in one patient (7.1%) the association with NHL was not proved. The authors conclude that primary NHL of the thyroid gland is an indication for total thyroidecto- my. Subsequent treatment then follows the therapeutic protocol of NHL.

        Key words: malignant non-Hodgkin lymphoma, thyroid gland, indication for surgery, thyroidectomy.