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Primary pancreatic lymphoma: a case report, literature review, and proposal for nomenclature

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Abstract

Primary neoplasms of the pancreas are most often adenocarcinoma. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) involving the pancreas is less common but well documented; the pancreas as the primary site of NHL is rare. The majority of patients with pancreatic cancer, whether it is adenocarcinoma or lymphoma, present with a mass in the head of the gland. Pancreatic lymphoma is often described as a large homogeneous mass with extra-pancreatic extension, with or without associated lymphadenopathy. Less common presentations are masses in the body or tail, or more rarely diffuse involvement of the pancreas. We present a case of diffuse pancreatic lymphoma with extra-pancreatic dissemination to the spleen and lymph nodes, and review the literature on pancreatic lymphoma. Because the definition of pancreatic lymphoma and primary pancreatic lymphoma varies, we also propose a nomenclature system to make future studies of pancreatic lymphoma more comparable.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, Phoenix VA Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, USA

    I Shah

  2. Cancer Research Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA

    JR Salvatore (Director of Research)

  3. University of Arizona School of Medicine, Tucson, AZ, USA

    T Kummet

  4. Division of Hematology/Oncology, Phoenix VA Medical Center, 605 E Indian School Road, 85012, Phoenix, AZ, USA

    JR Salvatore (Director of Research), B Cooper & T Kummet

Authors
  1. JR Salvatore
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  2. B Cooper
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  3. I Shah
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  4. T Kummet
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Salvatore, J., Cooper, B., Shah, I. et al. Primary pancreatic lymphoma: a case report, literature review, and proposal for nomenclature. Med Oncol 17, 237–247 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02780536

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02780536

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