Primary lymphoma presenting as intra-abdominal mass and obstructive jaundice

Abstract

We reported a 67-yr-old man presenting with right hypochondrial pain, obstructive jaundice, and hepatic hilar mass. Biliary stenting relieved the jaundice. Percutaneous aspiration cytology of the mass was suspicious of lymphoma. He had no evidence of the disease, including lymphadenopathy, elsewhere in the body. Excision of the mass en bloc with cholecystectomy and right hemicolectomy confirmed the diagnosis of B-cell lymphoma. The patient recovered uneventfully and received nine courses of systemic chemotherapy afterward. Up to the time of writing, the patient remained disease-free 20 months after the initial presentation. This is the first case report of a primary lymphoma arising in and remaining localized to the hepatic hilar region. Moreover, it illustrates the importance of obtaining tissue diagnosis in patients with malignant jaundice.