[Hepatic MALT lymphoma disclosing a nodal extension]

Abstract

We report a case of a 50-year-old man with chronic viral hepatitis B presenting with a primary hepatic lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue, revealed clinically by a pedicular nodal mass. The liver biopsy showed an active chronic hepatitis and a dense portal lymphoid infiltrate with centrocyte-like cells inducing typical biliary lympho-epithelial lesions. The lymph-node biopsy revealed a marginal zone lymphoma pattern. A monoclonal rearrangement of the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene was detected in the lymph node by polymerase chain reaction. This case of primary hepatic mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma confirms that the liver also contains mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue, in which low grade lymphoma can arise.