Pancreatic involvement by non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

A case of pancreatic involvement by non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is presented. The patient, a 63-year-old man had a large tumor in the head of the pancreas, without obstructive jaundice. Invasion of the tumor into the duodenum and transverse colon induced progressive anemia and ileus. Therefore, pancreatoduodenectomy and right hemicolectomy were performed, although a definitive preoperative diagnosis was not obtained. This tumor was identified, by histopathology and immunohistochemistry, as diffuse mixed type lymphoma with a B-cell phenotype. Postoperatively, the patient had severe congestive heart failure, and he died without receiving chemotherapy. It is important to establish a definitive diagnosis for this disease, to remove the tumor, and to treat the patient with appropriate chemotherapy.