A CASE OF MALIGNANT LYMPHOMA ARISING IN THE APPENDIX

An extremely rare case of malignant lymphoma arising in the appendix is reported, together with a review of 16 cases in the Japanese literature. A 60-year-old man complaining of right lower quadrant pain underwent laparotomy with a diagnosis of acute appendicitis. The appendix enlarged to be as large as 7×4×3cm, and postoperative histopathologic examination revealed a primary malignant lymphoma arising in the appendix which belonged to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, diffuse and large cell type by LSG classification. On the 14th day surgery right hemicolectomy with regional lymphnode excision was carried out for radical treatment. Malignant lymphoma arising in the appendix is an extremely rare disease and only 16 cases including this can be found out in the Japanese literature. Almost of the cases were first diagnosed as acute appendicitis and were definitely done as the disease by postoperative pathologic examinations. Like another carcinomas extensive excision with regional lymphnode excision and sometimes follow-up therapy are performed for this disease, however, the prognosis is generally poor.