# Coexisting Primary Biliary Cholangitis and Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma: A Case Report and Literature Review

**Authors:** Cheng Ma, Xiaoqian Zhang, Hui Yang

PMC · DOI: 10.7759/cureus.79508 · 2025-02-23

## TL;DR

A 67-year-old woman with primary biliary cholangitis later developed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, highlighting a rare but possible link between autoimmune liver disease and lymphoma.

## Contribution

This case report is among the few to document the progression of primary biliary cholangitis to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

## Key findings

- A patient with primary biliary cholangitis developed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma within a year.
- The patient's condition worsened due to infections following chemotherapy-induced immune suppression.
- Literature review suggests a possible but rare association between primary biliary cholangitis and lymphoma risk.

## Abstract

It is recognized that autoimmune diseases such as primary Sjogren's syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis have an increased risk of developing lymphoma, particularly non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). The progression of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), a chronic autoimmune liver disease, to lymphoma on this basis has rarely been reported. This article describes a 67-year-old female patient who developed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) one year after the diagnosis of PBC. She had experienced a transient improvement after receiving treatment but died as a result of infections and other related problems triggered by further immune suppression after chemotherapy. We also reviewed the relevant literature to assess the correlation between PBC and lymphoma risk.

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** primary biliary cholangitis (MONDO:0005388), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (MONDO:0018905), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (MONDO:0018908), rheumatoid arthritis (MONDO:0008383)

## Full-text entities

- **Diseases:** primary Sjogren's syndrome (MESH:D012859), autoimmune diseases (MESH:D001327), infections (MESH:D007239), DLBCL (MESH:D016403), lymphoma (MESH:D008223), NHL (MESH:D008228), autoimmune liver disease (MESH:D008107), rheumatoid arthritis (MESH:D001172), PBC (MESH:D008105)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Figures

2 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC11936383/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC11936383