A Case of Primary Malignant Lymphoma of the Spleen Growing for the Short Period of Time

Hiroshi Tsuya, Tsuneaki Hato, Tetsuya Sato, Ikuhide Kuwahara, Hidenori Tanaka and Kuniyasu Shimokawa^*

Department of Surgery, Sekigahara Hospital and
^*Department of Laboratory Medicine, Gifu University School of Medicine

A 74-year old woman was found to have a low echoic lesion, 20×20 mm in size, in the spleen by abdominal ultrasonography on August 28, 1996 during a follow-up examination for ovarian cyst and gallbladder polyp. We chose to follow up the lesion because it was asymptomatic and small in size. The tumor grew to 38×45 mm by October 9, and we advised the patient to undergo detailed examinations however, outpatient basis follow up was scheduled at the patient's request. The patient was admitted to our hospital because of left upper abdominal pain on December 12. The tumor had grown to 68×67 mm, and the patient consented to the examinations. Malignant lymphoma of the spleen was suggested by abdominal computed tomography, ⁶⁷Ga scintigraphy, splenic angiography, etc., and splenectomy with regional lymph node dissection was performed. The histological diagnosis was malignant lymphoma, diffuse, large-cell type. There have been no signs of recurrence in the absence of chemotherapy and the patient has been under clinical observation on an ambulatory basis for the three years since the operation.

Key words
malignant lymphoma, tumor of the spleen

Reprint requests
Hiroshi Tsuya Department of Surgery, Sekigahara Hospital 2490-29 Sekigahara, Sekigaharachou Fuwagun, Gifu Pref, 503-1514 JAPAN

Accepted
June 28, 2000

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