Primary hepatic lymphoma in a man with chronic hepatitis C

Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 1997 Jan;9(1):87-90. doi: 10.1097/00042737-199701000-00020.

Abstract

We report the case of a middle-aged man who presented de novo with abdominal pain and hepatomegaly and was found to have positive serology for hepatitis C and subsequently a primary hepatic lymphoma. An increased incidence of primary hepatocellular cancer is well characterized in both cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic cases of chronic hepatitis C. The relationship between chronic hepatitis C and primary hepatic lymphoma remains obscure. It has been established that hepatitis C can sustain the clonal B-cell expansion that occurs in associated cryoglobulinaemia, and hepatitis C RNA has been detected within extrahepatic lymphoma tissue. Viral aetiologies for lymphoma are well characterized, such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human T-cell leukaemia virus (HTLV) I and II. Existing models of chronic infection causing lymphoma within the gastrointestinal tract include that of Helicobacter pylori and mucosa-associated lymphoid tumour of the stomach. Given the relatively low frequency of occurrence it may be prudent to perform a retrospective analysis on past cases of primary hepatic lymphoma in order to determine whether or not hepatitis C was present.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Neoplasm / analysis
  • Biopsy
  • Chronic Disease
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Hepacivirus / genetics
  • Hepacivirus / immunology
  • Hepatitis C / complications*
  • Hepatitis C / diagnosis
  • Hepatitis C Antibodies / analysis
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Liver Neoplasms / etiology*
  • Liver Neoplasms / immunology
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell / diagnosis
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell / etiology*
  • Lymphoma, B-Cell / immunology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • RNA, Viral / analysis
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • Antibodies, Neoplasm
  • Hepatitis C Antibodies
  • RNA, Viral