Obstructive jaundice as primary presentation of a stage IIE Non-Hodgkin lymphoma: A decision making process between advanced lymphoma and locally advanced/metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Primary Pancreatic Lymphoma: Recommendations for Diagnosis and Management

BACKGROUND

Primary pancreatic lymphoma (PPL) is a rare disease representing 0.1% of all malignant lymphomas, which lacks well-defined diagnostic and therapeutic protocols. We conducted a systematic review to analyze demographic, diagnostic and therapeutic features of PPL.

METHODS

This review identified small series and single case reports. Sources were MEDLINE, PubMed, and the Cochrane library from January 2001 to December 2020. Data were screened, extracted and the risk of bias analyzed by three independent reviewers.

RESULTS

A total of 107 eligible papers (17 small series, 90 single case reports) describing 266 patients were identified. Patients had a median age of 53.1 (range 3-86) years and were males in 64.6% of cases. Abdominal pain and jaundice were the most common presenting symptoms, affecting 75.3% and 41.8% of patients, respectively. PPL had a median size of 60.6 mm (range 16-200) and it was localized in the pancreatic head in 63.7% of cases. At diagnosis most patients underwent ultrasonography followed by computed tomography. PPL typically showed low echogenicity, and lower contrast enhancement than solid tumors. Histopathological specimens were obtained by percutaneous or endoscopic biopsies in 47.7% of patients; abdominal surgery was performed in 33.5% of cases. Overall, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was the most frequent histological diagnosis (53.6%). However, patients aged <18 years were affected by Burkitt lymphoma in 52.4% of cases. Most patients (53.6%) received immunochemotherapy (IC) or IC plus radiotherapy (14%). Demolitive surgery appeared to be associated with impaired survival. Central nervous system (CNS) relapse or progression was observed in 20% of patients.

CONCLUSION

PPL is a rare entity, with some peculiar features at modern imaging. For diagnostic purposes percutaneous or endoscopic biopsies might be preferable, as opposed to surgery. No definite data is available about the optimal treatment, which should be tailored on the histological type and associated with CNS prophylaxis.

The Value of Cellblock in Diagnosing Pancreatic Lymphomas

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is the diagnostic tool of choice for pancreatic solid mass lesions. Pancreatic lymphomas represent an infrequent and challenging cytologic diagnosis. Our aim was to determine the diagnostic value of cellblock (CB) in the diagnosis of pancreatic lymphomas.

METHODS

We retrieved pancreatic EUS-FNAs performed over 10-years from our institution's database. We correlated the cytologic and CB diagnosis with the histologic diagnosis as a gold standard.

RESULTS

We found 5 cases (2 women and 3 men; age range, 37-66 years [average age, 52 years]) of pancreatic lymphomas with histologic follow-up biopsies. They included 1 case of T-cell lymphoma (TCL), 1 case of plasma cell neoplasm (multiple myeloma [MM]), 1 case of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), 1 case of classic Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), and 1 case of high-grade B-cell lymphoma (HGBCL). Cytologically, the cases of HL and DLBCL were suspected, the cases of TCL and MM were confused with undifferentiated carcinoma and neuroendocrine carcinoma, and the case of HGBCL was inconclusive. CB samples were of value in highlighting the morphologic details of lymphomas and allowed confirmation, proper classification, and grading of the lymphomas using immunohistochemistry that matched tissue biopsies.

CONCLUSIONS

EUS-FNA smears with CBs are helpful diagnostic tools, differentiating lymphomas from other malignancies and from nonneoplastic lymphocyte-rich lesions. CBs allow proper classification and grading of cases of pancreatic lymphomas.

Hepatic Manifestations of Lymphoproliferative Disorders

Hepatic abnormalities in patients with lymphoproliferative disorders are common and can occur from direct infiltration by abnormal cells, bile duct obstruction, paraneoplastic syndrome, hemophagocytic syndrome, drug-induced liver injury, opportunistic infections, and reactivation of viral hepatitis. Hepatic involvement by lymphoma is often in association with systemic disease and rarely seen as a primary hepatic lymphoma. Vanishing bile duct syndrome is a well-known complication of Hodgkin disease. Antiviral prophylaxis for hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation is recommended for all HBsAg⁺ patients undergoing chemotherapy and all resolved HBV patients undergoing rituximab therapy and stem cell transplantation.

Osteoclast-like giant cell tumor of the pancreas-an unusual presentation in a patient with large mantle cell lymphoma

Osteoclast-like giant cell tumor of the pancreas is very rare. We report a 78-year-old male who was previously treated for large mantle cell lymphoma, was found to have an increased uptake in a peri-pancreatic node from his restaging PET scan. Endoscopic ultrasound-directed fine-needle aspiration of the mass and lymph node revealed an undifferentiated carcinoma with osteoclast-like giant cells. Osteoclast-like giant cell tumors of the pancreas are frequently found to be unresectable at diagnosis due to their large size (>5 cm). In our patient, due to its small size (<3 cm) sub-total pancreatectomy was performed. Three years from the surgery, the patient is doing well without recurrence. This case report intends to increase provider awareness that in the setting of new pancreatic lesions in a patient with previous history of lymphoma, a high index of suspicion for a primary pancreatic lesion should be included in the differential diagnosis.