Primary gallbladder small lymphocytic lymphoma as a rare postcholecystectomy finding

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Oncology
• Pathology

Background:

• Primary gallbladder lymphoma is an exceptionally rare malignancy, with fewer than 50 cases documented.
• Symptoms frequently mimic benign gallstone disease, leading to delayed diagnosis, often discovered postoperatively.
• Preoperative imaging is often inconclusive for suspected gallbladder lymphoma.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a rare case of primary gallbladder lymphoma.
• To describe the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and histological findings of an unusual subtype.
• To contribute to the literature on rare gallbladder malignancies.

Main Methods:

• Case report of an 85-year-old male patient.
• Patient presented with gallstone disease, history of acute cholecystitis and pancreatitis.
• Diagnosis confirmed via histological evaluation of the cholecystectomy specimen.

Main Results:

• Histological examination revealed a small lymphocytic lymphoma of the gallbladder.
• This specific histological subtype of primary gallbladder lymphoma has not been previously reported.
• The patient's presentation mimicked symptomatic gallstone disease.

Conclusions:

• Primary gallbladder lymphomas, including MALT and diffuse large B-cell types, are associated with chronic inflammation.
• Cholecystectomy is curative for localized disease; chemotherapy improves outcomes for advanced stages.
• This case expands the known histological spectrum of primary gallbladder lymphoma.