Primary malignant lymphoma of the liver associated with cirrhosis induced by hepatitis C viral infection.

We present a case of primary malignant lymphoma of the liver of B cell origin with cirrhosis induced by hepatitis C viral infection. A 75-year-old Japanese woman with chronic liver dysfunction was admitted for hepatic tumors. The tumors were hypoechoic on ultrasonography and hypodense on computed tomography. Antibody to hepatitis C virus was positive. Ultrasonically guided biopsy was performed, and we diagnosed hepatic lymphoma with cirrhosis induced by hepatitis C virus clinically and immunohistochemically. This case may be the first report of the association of these two diseases, and may provide additional evidence of a predisposition to malignancy in cirrhosis.