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Xiong et al. Hepatoma Res 2017;3:73-8 Hepatoma Research
DOI: 10.20517/2394-5079.2017.02
www.hrjournal.net
Minireview Open Access

Primary hepatic lymphoma: is it a disease

entity?

Fei Xiong, Yong-Song Guan

Department of Oncology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China.

Correspondence to: Prof. Yong-Song Guan, Department of Oncology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, 37 Guo Xue Xiang Street, Chengdu
610041, Sichuan, China. E-mail: yongsongguan@yahoo.com
How to cite this article: Xiong F, Guan YS. Primary hepatic lymphoma: is it a disease entity? Hepatoma Res 2017;3:73-8.
ABSTRACT

Article history: It is now widely accepted that lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic cells in the immune
Received: 15-01-2017 system and a type of blood cancer that develops when T or B lymphocytes of the white
Accepted: 24-03-2017 blood cells display uncontrolled proliferation and cellular immortality. Currently, a number
Published: 09-05-2017 of authors have published case reports or case series in which these lesions are defined as
primary hepatic lymphoma. This minireview discusses several aspects of the entity of primary
Key words: hepatic lymphoma, especially the dilemmas in diagnosis.
Lymphoma,
primary,
hepatic,
diagnosis,
entity

INTRODUCTION cell lymphoma or immunodeficiency-associated
lymphoproliferative disorders. [7,8] Lymphomas are
Malignant lymphoma is a tumor disease originated usually seen in lymph nodes, spleen, blood, bone
from hematopoietic cells typically presented as an marrow, brain, gastrointestinal tract and skin or
apparently circumscribed solid tumor of lymphoid other normal structures where lymphoreticular cells
cells. [1,2] It is now widely accepted that lymphoma is exist, but very rarely in the liver. [9-11] Lymphomas
a cancer of the lymphatic cells in the immune system with disseminated disease may enter the blood
which protect the body against diseases and infection. stream and present as leukemia, notably of the
[12,13]
It is a type of blood cancer that develops when T lymphocytic type. The classification of lymphoma
is based on clinical manifestation, cell morphology,
or B lymphocytes of the white blood cells display cytochemistry, genetics and immunophenotype to
uncontrolled proliferation and cellular immortality. [3,4] determine the entity with clinical significance.
[13]
Lymphoma is composed of cells that look naïve or With the advance in imaging technology, more and
resemble lymphocytes, histiocytes or plasma cells. [5,6] more lesions of lymphoma were detected involving
Sometimes the origin of the lymphoma can not be the liver at presentation. Currently, a number of
[14]
simply decided, like in the instance of natural killer- authors have published case reports or case series

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