Acute liver failure due to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Acute hepatic failure secondary to involvement of the liver by hematologic malignancies is a very uncommon condition, and usually has a fatal prognosis. We describe the case of a woman who developed acute hepatic failure due to infiltration by a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma 18 yr after the initial diagnosis of a nodular-type lymphocytic lymphoma, while she was apparently in remission. Early diagnosis was achieved through liver biopsy; therefore, rapid administration of chemotherapy allowed her complete recovery. Hepatic biopsy may provide a diagnosis in patients in whom the etiology of liver failure is unknown, thus establishing the possible need for specific treatment.