Incidental finding of peripheral B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, lymphocytic/CLL type, of the gallbladder in a patient with chronic cholecystitis

Although lymphoma involvement of the gallbladder, especially by MALT and large-cell types, is rare, this possibility should be considered in patients with symptoms of acute cholecystitis. A cholecystectomy was performed in a 79-year-old male patient with a clinical diagnosis of chronic cholecystitis. Histologically, the specimen showed an incidental finding of a small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL) by morphologic and immunophenotyping studies, subsequently confirmed with flow cytometric analysis of blood. During follow-up, multiple lymph node enlargement was detected. An axillary node, excised and submitted to our department, was positive for lymphoma involvement. The bone marrow was negative.