A Rare Case of Systemic Adult Burkitt Lymphoma Presenting as Acute Acalculous Cholecystitis.ACG Case Rep J. 2019;6:e00048. [PMID: 31616732 DOI: 10.14309/crj.0000000000000048]

Gallbladder Burkitt’s lymphoma mimicking gallbladder cancer: A case report

BACKGROUND

Malignant lymphoma is a rare form of gallbladder malignancy. Most of these malignancies are diffuse large B-cell lymphomas or mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue-type lymphomas; however, Burkitt’s lymphoma of the gallbladder is extremely rare, and only two previous reports are available in the literature. Herein, we report a rare case of Burkitt’s lymphoma of the gallbladder mimicking gallbladder adenocarcinoma.

CASE SUMMARY

An 83-year-old man with no abdominal complaints was found to have a gallbladder tumor and periportal lymph node enlargement on computed tomography (CT) performed for hypertension screening. His laboratory data revealed slightly elevated serum levels of carcinoembryonic antigen and soluble interleukin 2 receptor. Imaging examinations revealed two irregular and contrast-enhanced masses extending into the gallbladder lumen, but these did not infiltrate the serosa. Moreover, a periportal lymph node had enlarged to 30 mm. Based on these findings, we diagnosed the patient as having gallbladder adenocarcinoma with lymph node metastasis, which was treated using bile duct resection with gallbladder bed resection and periportal lymph node dissection. However, the patient was finally diagnosed as having Burkitt’s lymphoma. Although the surgical margin was pathologically negative, recurrence was noted at the hepatic radical margin and superior pancreaticoduodenal lymph nodes on positron emission tomography/CT soon after discharge. Thus, he was referred to a hematologist and started receiving treatment with reduced-dose cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone.

CONCLUSION

Burkitt’s lymphoma can occur in the gallbladder. Biopsy can be useful in cases with findings suggestive of gallbladder malignant lymphoma.

Hodgkin lymphoma masquerading as perforated gallbladder adenocarcinoma: A case report

BACKGROUND

There are several case reports of acute cholecystitis as the initial presentation of lymphoma of the gallbladder; all reports describe non-Hodgkin lymphoma or its subtypes on histopathology of the gallbladder tissue itself. Interestingly, there is no description in the literature of Hodgkin lymphoma causing hilar lymphadenopathy, inevitably presenting as ruptured cholecystitis with imaging mimicking gallbladder adenocarcinoma.

CASE SUMMARY

A 48-year-old man with a past medical history of diabetes mellitus presented with progressive abdominal pain, jaundice, night sweats, weakness, and unintended weight loss for one month. Work-up revealed a mass in the region of the porta hepatis causing obstructions of the cystic and common hepatic ducts, gallbladder rupture, as well as retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy. The clinical picture and imaging findings were suspicious for locally advanced gallbladder adenocarcinoma causing ruptured cholecystitis and cholangitis, with metastases to retroperitoneal lymph nodes. Minimally invasive techniques, including endoscopic duct brushings and percutaneous lymph node biopsy, were inadequate for tissue diagnosis. Therefore, this case required exploratory laparotomy, open cholecystectomy, and periaortic lymph node dissection for histopathological assessment and definitive diagnosis. Hodgkin lymphoma was present in the lymph nodes while the gallbladder specimen had no evidence of malignancy.

CONCLUSION

This clinical scenario highlights the importance of histopathological assessment in diagnosing gallbladder malignancy in a patient with gallbladder perforation and a grossly positive positron emission tomography/computed tomography scan. For both gallbladder adenocarcinoma and Hodgkin lymphoma, medical and surgical therapies must be tailored to the specific disease entity in order to achieve optimal long-term survival rates.