Primary hepatic or hepatosplenic non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in children.

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma confined to the liver is unusual in adults and has not been reported in children. Two children with primary hepatic and one with hepatosplenic NHL are described. All three patients are males, and both tumors examined for cell surface markers were of B-cell origin. Two patients, treated with chemotherapy and radiation, developed disseminated disease and died with 7 months of diagnosis. A third patient treated aggressively with radiotherapy and multiagent chemotherapy (LSA2-L2 protocol) remains in complete continuous remission 22 months after initiation of therapy. Hepatic NHL, even if well localized at diagnosis appears to warrant an aggressive therapeutic approach.