Sustained complete remission of primary effusion lymphoma with adjunctive ganciclovir treatment in an HIV-positive patient.

Abstract

Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is one of the least common of the AIDS-related lymphomas, accounting for less than 1-4% of cases. Clinical manifestations depend on the extent and distribution of disease and, as in the majority of patients no detectable mass lesion is found, symptoms are related to fluid accumulation, dyspnoea (pleural or pericardial effusions), abdominal distension (ascites) or joint swelling. The median survival after diagnosis, even with aggressive chemotherapy, remains poor and remissions are often of short duration. We present the case of a 31-year-old man with AIDS and diagnosis of PEL, in whom sustained and complete remission of the tumour was achieved with adjunctive ganciclovir therapy. Since the disease is so uncommon, there is a paucity of data to guide the treatment of these patients; ganciclovir might be a potential antiviral therapeutic option, as demonstrated by the 2-year remission achieved in our patient.

• Authors: Rui Pereira, Joana Carvalho, Catarina Patrício, Pedro Farinha
• Journal: BMJ case reports (BMJ Case Rep) Vol. 2014 (Oct 13 2014) ISSN: 1757-790X [Electronic] England
• PMID: 25312890 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)
• Copyright: 2014 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.

Chemical References

• Anti-HIV Agents
• Vincristine
• Doxorubicin
• Cyclophosphamide
• Ganciclovir
• Prednisone

Topics

• Adult
• Anti-HIV Agents (therapeutic use)
• Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols (therapeutic use)
• Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
• Cyclophosphamide (therapeutic use)
• Doxorubicin (therapeutic use)
• Ganciclovir (therapeutic use)
• HIV Seropositivity
• Humans
• Lymphoma, AIDS-Related (drug therapy)
• Lymphoma, Primary Effusion (drug therapy)
• Male
• Prednisone (therapeutic use)
• Remission Induction
• Vincristine (therapeutic use)