Non-Hodgkin lymphoma as primary bone tumor in a patient with B hepatic viral infection - case report

Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common form of non-Hodgkin lymphomas, which has shown an increasing incidence in the past decades. 7% of primary bone tumors consist of non-Hodgkin lymphomas. The etiology of this type of lymphoma is still unclear. Our aim was to study the latest research papers; to highlight the importance of cooperation between different medical specialty departments, in rare cases like NHL as PBT with associated HBV infection.

Case report: We present the case of a 39-year-old male patient, who presented to the orthopedic department of the University Emergency Hospital of Bucharest, with moderate pain, swelling, and a palpable mass of the right lower limb.

Management and Outcome: The patient underwent several investigations, whose result was DLBCL and an associated HBV infection. Due to the aggressive form of DLBCL, chemotherapeutical treatment has to be initiated as soon as possible to prevent further growth of the tumor. An antiviral therapy had to be initiated to prevent the hepatic failure, which could appear after chemotherapy and in the acute phase of viral infection.

Discussion: Our case raised the question regarding what kind of relationship could be identified between the HBV infection and NHL, and how this condition influenced the outcome of the treatment.