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. 2008 May 19:2:167.
doi: 10.1186/1752-1947-2-167.

A role for surgery in primary pancreatic B-cell lymphoma: a case report

Theodore Liakakos  1 , Evangelos P Misiakos, Dimitrios Tsapralis, Irene Nikolaou, Gabriel Karatzas, Anastasios Macheras
Affiliations

A role for surgery in primary pancreatic B-cell lymphoma: a case report

Theodore Liakakos et al. J Med Case Rep. .

Abstract

Introduction: Primary pancreatic lymphoma is a very rare but manageable malignant tumour which may be clinically confused as a pancreatic carcinoma. This case report demonstrates the value of surgical resection in the management of pancreatic lymphoma.

Case presentation: We report a case of a 65-year-old man who was admitted with obstructive jaundice, vague upper abdominal pain and weight loss. Ultrasonography and computed tomography showed a mass at the head of the pancreas which was compressing the bile duct. The patient underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy. Histopathologic and immunohistochemical assessment of the pancreatic lesion established the diagnosis of a diffuse, extranodal, high-grade B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Several doses of chemotherapy were administered postoperatively and at present the disease remains in remission.

Conclusion: The favourable outcome for this patient and a thorough review of the literature underline the important role that operative resection may have in the management of at least the early stage of primary pancreatic lymphoma.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Contrast-enhanced helical CT scan. This scan demonstrates the heterogeneous enhancement of a large tumour of the head of the pancreas, in contact with the superior mesenteric vein (SMV), without signs of infiltration or encasement of the vein, or the superior mesenteric artery (SMA).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Neoplastic lymphoid population surrounding pancreatic duct with no evidence of lymphoepithelial lesions (H/E × 200).
Figure 3
Figure 3
CD20 positivity of neoplastic lymphoid cells (CD20 × 200).
Figure 4
Figure 4
High mitotic activity highlighted by Ki67 expression (Ki67 × 200).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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