Primary hepatic lymphoma: A case report

Primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the liver is a very rare malignancy. In this case report, we describe a case of primary hepatic lymphoma (PHL) in a 60-year-old man who presented with lump and pain in the abdomen of 2 months’ duration. The patient had altered liver function, normal serum alfa fetoprotein level (AFP), normal hemogram and bone marrow. A computed tomography scan of the abdomen and pelvis showed an ill-defined hypodense mass with specks of calcification involving the liver, suggestive of primary malignant mass of liver. Diagnosis of PHL was established on the cytology smear and confirmed by immunohistochemistry on tissue biopsy. This case demonstrates that PHL should be considered in the differential diagnosis of space-occupying liver lesions in the presence of a normal level of AFP. Fine needle aspiration cytology is a faster and safer diagnostic modality even in such a rare case. The case has many unique features like negative serology for viruses, no type B symptom and normal lactate dehydrogenase level.