Case Report
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World J Gastroenterol. Oct 7, 2013; 19(37): 6299-6303
Published online Oct 7, 2013. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i37.6299
A case of plasmablastic lymphoma of the liver without human immunodeficiency virus infection
Joji Tani, Hisaaki Miyoshi, Takako Nomura, Hirohito Yoneyama, Hideki Kobara, Hirohito Mori, Asahiro Morishita, Takashi Himoto, Tsutomu Masaki
Joji Tani, Hisaaki Miyoshi, Takako Nomura, Hirohito Yoneyama, Hideki Kobara, Hirohito Mori, Asahiro Morishita, Takashi Himoto, Tsutomu Masaki, Department of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Kagawa University Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa 761-0793, Japan
Takashi Himoto, Department of Integrated Medicine, Kagawa University Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa 761-0793, Japan
Author contributions: Tani J, Masaki T designed the report; Tani J, Miyoshi H, Nomura T, Yoneyama H, Kobara H, Mori H, Morishita A and Himoto T were attending doctors for the patients; Masaki T organized the report; and Tani J wrote paper.
Correspondence to: Joji Tani, MD, Department of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Kagawa University Faculty of Medicine, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki-cho, Kita-gun, Kagawa 761-0793, Japan. georget@med.kagawa-u.ac.jp
Telephone: +81-87-8912156 Fax: +81-87-8912158
Received: July 18, 2013
Revised: August 7, 2013
Accepted: August 17, 2013
Published online: October 7, 2013
Processing time: 137 Days and 0.8 Hours
Abstract

Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is a very rare B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder was with an aggressive clinical behavior that recently characterized by the World Health Organization. Although PBL is most commonly observed in the oral cavity of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients, it can also be observed at extra-oral sites in HIV-negative patients. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) may be closely related the pathogenesis of PBL. PBL shows different clinicopathological characteristics between HIV-positive and -negative patients. Here, we report a case of PBL of the liver in a 79-year-old HIV-negative male. The patient died approximately 1.5 mo after examination and autopsy showed that the main lesion was a very large liver mass. Histopathological examination of the excised lesion showed large-cell lymphoma with plasmacytic differentiation diffusely infiltrating the liver and involving the surrounding organs. The neoplastic cells were diffusely positive for CD30, EBV, Bob-1, and CD38. The autopsy findings suggested a diagnosis of PBL. To our knowledge, the present case appears to be the first report of PBL with initial presentation of the liver in a patient without HIV infection.

Keywords: Plasmablastic lymphoma; Human immunodeficiency virus-negative; Normal liver; Pathogenesis; Immunohistochemistry

Core tip: Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is a rare B-cell lymphoma. Although PBL is observed in the oral cavity of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients, it can also be observed at extra-oral sites in HIV-negative patients. We present a case of PBL of the liver in a 79-year-old HIV-negative male. Histopathological examination showed large-cell lymphoma with plasmacytic differentiation diffusely infiltrating the liver and involving the surrounding organs. The neoplastic cells were diffusely positive for CD30, Epstein-Barr virus, Bob-1, and CD38. The present case appears to be the first report of PBL with initial presentation in the liver in a patient without HIV infection.