[Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the liver: report of two cases and review of the literature]

Two cases of primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the liver are presented, with comments about the main clinical and pathological aspects of the disease based on literature review. Both patients were woman (19 and 62 years old) and presented the same complaints: severe weight loss and presence of fast growing abdominal mass. In both cases the histologic diagnosis showed a non-Hodgkin, diffuse, large cell lymphoma (centroblastic-centrocytic diffuse lymphoma) with intermediate grade of malignancy. One case (19 years) died before treatment. The autopsy showed a large solitary tumor (18 cm in diameter) in the right liver lobe and two small nodules (1 cm) in the subcutaneous tissue of the abdominal wall. The other case (62 years), was treated by partial hepatectomy and chemotherapy. There was a round, solitary tumor (8 cm in diameter) in the left lobe. The patient remains without manifestations of disease relapse 18 months after the treatment. In both cases the tumor did not spread to lymph nodes, spleen and other viscera.