Primary non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the pancreas

A 71-year-old patient had been suffering from pain-free obstructive jaundice for 8 weeks. Ultrasonography and computed tomography revealed an inhomogeneous mass (diameter 7 x 6 cm) in the head of the pancreas. In combination with a CA 19-9 of 329 U/l, the findings were highly suggestive of a pancreatic carcinoma. Endoscopic implantation of a pigtail drain into the dilated choledochal duct was performed. A partial duodenopancreatectomy (Whipple's procedure) became necessary because of continuous bleeding with hemodynamic disorders after endoscopic papillotomy. In the histopathological examination a low-grade malignant non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the pancreas (follicular centroblastic-centrocytic) was diagnosed. The differential diagnosis of primary pancreatic lymphoma from pancreatic carcinoma is usually impossible. Neither clinical nor laboratory nor imaging methods indicate to the correct diagnosis. In cases of relatively large pancreatic tumor masses and impression of the pancreatic duct without infiltration, a primary pancreatic lymphoma should be considered and a histological diagnosis by biopsy should be performed.