Misdiagnosis of primary hepatic marginal zone B cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue type, a case report

BACKGROUND Extra-nodal marginal zone B cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue originating in the liver is less common. CASE PRESENTATION We described the clinical presentation, immunohistochemistry, and immunophenotypes of this lymphoma, which was misdiagnosed with tiny hepatic carcinoma in a 44-year-old woman with hepatitis C; the patient underwent left lateral sectionectomy. The immunophenotype identified the most of the lymphoid cells as positive CD20, CD34, Ki67, CD3, CD4, CD79a, CD45RO, MUM-1, and CD5 and negative CD10, CD15, CD30, ACT, CK, CRO, DES, and HMB45. The diagnosis of primary hepatic mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) was made by histology after surgery; the patient went through the excellent recovery with no chemotherapy and is disease free for 27 months. CONCLUSIONS Primary hepatic MALT is less common with incidental finding; local resection is beneficial due to its oncological indolence.