Spontaneous complete remission of methotrexate-associated extranodal B-cell lymphoma of the buccal mucosa: Review of the literature and report of a case

Low-dose methotrexate is a standard treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Immunosuppressive therapies, including methotrexate (MTX), for patients with RA have long been implicated in the development of lymphoproliferative disorders (LPD), as so-called MTX-associated LPD. However, spontaneous remission of MTX-LPD has been observed after discontinuing MTX therapy for RA. The present study summarizes the clinical features from a review of the literature on patients with MTX-associated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and reports a case in which MTX-associated DLBCL showed spontaneous complete remission after withdrawal of MTX therapy.