Clinical and morphological features of mantle cell lymphoma as a cause of ascites

The article describes a rare clinical case of hydroperitoneum in a patient with mantle cell lymphoma. This observation illustrates the diagnostic difficulties in identifying the cause of ascites of unclear etiology and emphasizes the important role of cytological analysis of ascitic fluid.

Mantle cell lymphoma is an aggressive mature B-cell lymphoma characterized by the proliferation of abnormal lymphoid cells with typical indolent nuclear circuits. Although extranodal involvement is not uncommon for a given vila lymphoma, the isolated occurrence of ascites as the first manifestation of the disease presents a unique and complex diagnostic situation.

The purpose of this clinical example was to demonstrate the importance of including oncological and hematological diseases in the differential diagnostic search for ascites, especially when standard methods (for example, imaging diagnostic methods, biochemical tests) do not reveal an obvious cause.

The work analyzes in detail the clinical case of a patient with hydroperitoneum, where a comprehensive diagnostic approach was applied, including ultrasound examination, laboratory tests and, most importantly, cytological and immunophenotypic examination of peritoneal fluid.

Cytological analysis of ascitic fluid revealed the presence of atypical lymphoid cells, which made it possible to establish the diagnosis of mantle cell lymphoma with peritoneal damage. This diagnostic method has become key for determining the tactics of patient management and the timely start of specific polychemotherapy.

 Early detection of specific cells in ascitic fluid allows for an accurate diagnosis, determination of the stage of the disease and immediate initiation of appropriate treatment, ultimately improving the prognosis for the patient.

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