Primary non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the gall bladder

Primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the gallbladder is a very rare location of extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphomas. A patient with a primary non-Hodgkin lymp homa of the gallbladder is reported and in addition, the English literature is reviewed. Clinical presentation, diagnostic evaluation, histopathologic findings, treatment modalities and prognosis of primary gallbladder lympho mas reported up to date are reviewed and discussed. Our patient was diagnos ed as a T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma, after cholecystectomy, and had no ev idence of disease elsewhere. She was treated with combination chemotherapy and complete remission was achieved. She remains free of disease 9 years la ter. Review of the literature over a 30-year period revealed only 12 cases of well-documented primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma involvement of the gallblad der, including the present case. Patients present clinically with symptoms and signs indicating either biliary tract pathology or a gastrointestinal t umor. Diagnostic investigation included ultrasound of the upper abdomen, co mputed tomography of the abdomen and pelvis, oral cholecystography, percuta neous cholangiography and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopangreatography. P reoperative diagnosis was established in none of the patients. Treatment mo dalities included surgery and postoperative chemotherapy and irradiation. T he prognosis is overall poor and only 2 patients are alive after 1 and 9 ye ars respectively, the latter being our case. Here we document the first rep orted case of a patient with primary T-cell lymphoblastic non-Hodgkin lymph oma of the gallbladder. Review of the literature shows the existence of non -Hodgkin lymphoma of the gallbladder, its rarity and its general dismal pro gnosis.