Background & objective: Incidence of liver non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is increasing. This study was to explore clinical features, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of liver NHL.
Methods: Records of 45 patients with liver NHL treated in our hospital from Jan. 1998 to May 2002, 9.6% of all NHL patients treated in the same period, were retrospectively analyzed with statistic software package of SPSS10.0.
Results: Of 45 patients, 32 were male,and 13 were female, the median age was 50 years. Immunophenotyping revealed that 24 cases were T cell original, 19 were B cell original, and 2 were undefined. According to International Work Formulation (IWF), 92% of 45 patients belonged to intermediate-grade. Clinical features of liver NHL were presented with fever, jaundice, hepatosplenomegalia, and liver dysfunction. Combination treatment based on chemotherapy was the major therapy. Median survival time was 4 months, overall 1-, and 2-year survival rates were 22%, and 18%.
Conclusion: Early diagnose liver NHL is difficult, its treatment effect and prognosis are poor, combination therapy should be given as early as possible.