Biliary colic heralding systemic relapse in non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Gastroenterology
• Pathology

Background:

• Lymphocytic lymphoma typically presents as widespread disease.
• Gallbladder or biliary tree involvement is rare, especially without jaundice.

Observation:

• A patient in remission from poorly differentiated lymphoma experienced recurrent biliary colic.
• Laparotomy revealed lymphomatous involvement of the common bile duct as the cause of pain.

Findings:

• This case demonstrates an unusual presentation of lymphoma recurrence.
• Biliary tree involvement can occur in lymphoma patients even after successful chemotherapy.

Implications:

• Early detection of biliary tree recurrence is crucial for managing lymphoma.
• This highlights the importance of considering lymphoma in the differential diagnosis of unexplained biliary colic.