To investigate the clinical diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of primary hepatic lymphoma (PHL).

Clinical data of 9 patients with PHL who admitted and treated in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University between March 2008 and December 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. Among the patients, 6 were males and 3 were females with the age ranging from 46 to 61 years old and the median of 53 years old. The informed consents of all patients were obtained and the local ethical committee approval was received. The clinical manifestation, diagnosis procedure, therapeutic regimen and prognosis of the patients were analyzed.

Among the 9 patients, 4 cases saw the doctor for the finding of a hepatic space-occupying lesion, 3 cases for epigastric pain, and 2 cases for fever. Nine cases were complicated with chronic viral hepatitis B (HBV). Elevated preoperative serum lactate dehydrogenase was observed in 3 cases. Ultrasound examination indicated a hypoechoic echogenic mass in the liver, and plain CT scan indicated a low-density lesion in the liver. The diagnosis of all 9 patients was confirmed by the pathological examination. Two cases underwent simple resection, 2 underwent resection + chemotherapy and 5 underwent liver biopsy + chemotherapy. By the paper submission date, 6 patients survived and 4 of them survived more than 12 months.

The clinical manifestation and imaging findings of PHL are non-specific. Confirmed diagnosis depends on the pathological examination, and surgical resection combined with chemotherapy is an effective treatment.