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In order to communicate data about various lymphomas, it is necessary that we all speak the same language. To this end, many lymphoma classification schemes have been devised over the years. The most recent and current “official” lymphoma classification is that proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO).1,2 It differs very little from the previous “official” classification, the REAL (Revised European-American Lymphoma classification).3 Because the WHO classification is explicit, it is easy to follow and, if used correctly, studies using WHO terms should be reproducible and easy to interpret. However, when authors use language and classification schemes that are not widely accepted, they risk misinterpretation or that their data may be overlooked.
In the early 1980s, authors began referring to low grade B cell lymphomas that arise in mucosal locations as either “marginal zone” or mucosa associated lymphoid tissue (“MALT”) lymphomas.4,5 Being the catchier of the two terms “MALToma” became dominant in the common parlance. However, this led to some confusion because the “MALT” descriptor has the connotation that there is only one type of lymphoma that arises in mucosal …