Gastric T-cell lymphoma presenting with epithelioid granulomas mimicking tuberculosis in regional lymph nodes

Gastrointestinal Tract Plasmablastic Lymphoma in HIV-Infected Adults: A Histopathological Review

BACKGROUND.

Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is an aggressive B-cell lymphoma that is characterized by the expression of plasma cell antigens and loss of pan B-cell antigens. The neoplasm is extensively reported in the oral cavity and anorectal region but rarely in the gastrointestinal tract, where only isolated case reports and small case series have been reported. In the current study, morphologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular features of 17 cases of gastrointestinal tract PBL were reviewed.

METHODS.

Ten-year retrospective study that reappraised the histomorphological and immunophenotypical profiles of HIV-associated PBLs in the gastrointestinal tract.

RESULTS.

The mean age of the study patients was 41 years with a 3:1 ratio of males to females. The most common site of tumor origin was the small intestine (42%), followed by the stomach (29%) and the colon (29%). Majority of the cases showed a predominant diffuse (82%) growth pattern. Immunoblasts and plasmablasts were observed in all cases. Plasmacytic differentiation was seen in 5 (29%) cases. Additional observations not previously described or emphasized in literature includes pseudo-alveolar growth pattern, centroblast-predominance, multinucleated giant cells, and clear cell change. Immunohistochemistry revealed absence of pan B-cell antigens and expression of plasma cell antigens in all cases. Epstein-Barr virus-encoded RNA was expressed in 53% of the cases.

CONCLUSIONS.

This study highlights the spectrum of histopathological features seen in gastrointestinal tract PBLs. Awareness of this entity and its histopathological features in the gastrointestinal tract is essential for making a timely and accurate diagnosis and improving patient outcomes.

Gastric lymphoma and gastric tuberculosis: A diagnostic dilemma

Gastric outlet obstruction may be caused by a heterogeneous group of diseases that include both benign and malignant conditions. Primary gastric lymphoma (3%–5% of all gastrointestinal malignancies) and primary gastric tuberculosis (TB) (0.4%–2%) are very rare and resemble each other in clinical presentation with diagnostic dilemma between them. Do the two entities exist concomitantly or precede each other is still a topic of debate in the literature. Here, we present a case of primary gastric TB and gastric lymphoma in the same patient.

T-cell lymphoma masquerading as extrapulmonary tuberculosis: case report and review of literature

It is often difficult to establish confirmatory diagnosis in cases of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB) because of its paucibacillary nature and difficulty in accessing the involved organs. In several cases, empirical anti-tubercular treatment is started, and the patient is followed-up closely for response. In countries with high prevalence of TB, it is a reasonably good strategy and works most of the times. However, catastrophe may occur when aggressive lymphomas masquerade as TB.

Hodgkin lymphoma masquerading as tuberculosis in a young chronic smoker

Hodgkin lymphomas are malignant hemato-lymphoid neoplasms involving lymph nodes and extra-nodal sites. Bone marrow infiltration at diagnosis is uncommon, occurring in approximately 10 % cases. Such infiltration, when present, is usually focal and often associated with extensive disease, systemic symptoms, cytopenias and unfavorable histology. In the unusual event of the absence of significant peripheral lymphadenopathy, these lymphoma-related B-symptoms may easily masquerade as an infectious illness. A 30-year-old male was initially administered inappropriate anti-tubercular chemotherapy in a primary care setting for a presumptive impression of pulmonary tuberculosis. On re-evaluation due to unresponsiveness to the drugs, bulky mediastinal lymphadenopathy was detected. However, his axillary lymph node aspirate revealed epithelioid cell granulomas further confounding the picture. The correct diagnosis of Hodgkin lymphoma was finally established when a bone marrow biopsy (for fever and pancytopenia) revealed the typical neoplastic Reed Sternberg cells that were confirmed immunohistochemically. The case highlights the necessity of an early bone marrow examination in patients with unexplained fever and peripheral blood cytopenias. Physicians in tropical third-world countries with resource constraints and high disease burdens need to strike a fine balance between maintaining a high index of suspicion for tuberculosis yet being wary of the risk of missing lymphoma in such patients.

Tuberculosis and malignancy

BACKGROUND

Tuberculosis (TB) and malignancy represent global threats claiming millions of lives and inflicting formidable suffering worldwide. Surprisingly, the pathophysiological and practical implications of their co-existence have received little attention.

METHODS

Therefore, we sought to review the available literature on the field and identify data regarding the association between TB and malignancy in order to highlight the neglected aspects of this association and probably derive clinically useful information. We searched PubMed up to June 2008 for case reports, case series, non-comparative and comparative studies that were written in English and reported data on the occurrence of both TB infection and a neoplastic disorder in the same patient(s). The development of mycobacterial infections in patients with immunocompromized conditions is well known and was considered outside the scope of this review.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

The synthesis of the available evidence enabled us to establish three different types of association between malignancy and TB: (i) the development of cancer on the background of a previous tuberculous infection; (ii) the concurrent existence of TB and malignancy in the same patient(s) or clinical specimen(s); and (iii) the diagnostic challenges arising from the multi-faceted presentations of these two disorders.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that clinicians need to be aware of the protean manifestations of TB and cancer and maintain a high index of suspicion for simultaneous and/or misleading presentations. In addition, further research is required to determine if a tuberculous infection, being similar to other chronic infections and inflammatory conditions, may facilitate carcinogenesis.

Paradoxical development of a sarcoid-like reaction during successful chemotherapy for seminoma

Although the association between seminoma and sarcoidosis or a sarcoid-like reaction has been well recognized, a paradoxical case during chemotherapy for seminoma has not been reported. We report the first case of a sarcoid-like reaction that developed paradoxically during successful chemotherapy for recurrent seminoma. A 36-year-old Japanese man had recurrent seminoma in abdominal lymph nodes four years after left orchiectomy. Chemotherapy consisting of bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin had reduced the abdominal mass, but mediastinal and bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy newly appeared. Surgical biopsy of the mediastinal lymph nodes and left nephrectomy and retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy revealed noncaseating granulomas only in mediastinal lymph nodes and confirmed complete remission of seminoma. Nine months later the thoracic lymphadenopathy had resolved spontaneously.

Hodgkin's lymphoma and tuberculosis coexistence in cervical lymph nodes

We describe the case of a 47-year-old man admitted to the Department of Hematology because of fever, enlarged cervical and supraclavicular lymph nodes, hepatosplenomegaly and non-specific lung infiltrations. The histopathological examination of the cervical lymph node revealed Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) NS type I. Clinical evaluation revealed stage IVB according to Ann Arbor classification and the presence of 5 unfavorable prognostic factors according to the International Prognostic Index. Despite BEACOPP chemotherapy (bleomycin, etoposide, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone), the enlarged lymph nodes, lung infiltrations and fever persisted. Microbiological and serological tests did not lead to the identification of any viral or bacterial pathogens. Bronchoscopy showed chronic inflammation and post-tuberculosis (TB) scars in bronchi without acid-fast bacilli in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. However, the biopsy of the supraclavicular lymph node revealed multiple, caseating and necrotizing granulomatous lesions with scattered Reed-Sternberg (R-S) cells. The auramin staining presented acid-fast bacilli and allowed the diagnosis of productive and caseating TB coexisting with HL. The 4 tuberculostatics regimen and ABVD chemotherapy (adriamycin, bleomycin, vincristine, dacarbazine) resulted in a complete clinical response after 3 months of treatment. In conclusion, the association between HL and TB must be considered, especially in countries where the latter is endemic. The diagnosis may be difficult due to similarities in the clinical course, laboratory tests and imaging procedures.

Systemic Mycobacterium kansasii infection mimicking peripheral T-cell lymphoma

Nontuberculous mycobacteria are opportunistic pathogens which predominantly infect the immunocompromised host. The clinical and pathologic diagnosis of mycobacterial infection is generally not difficult. However, it may mimic malignancy on account of the clinical manifestations or the morphology of atypical lymphocytes with epithelioid histiocytes. The latter can be found in some types of lymphomas, especially T-cell lymphoma. This report describes two immunocompetent patients with systemic Mycobacterium kansasii infection presenting with fever, systemic lymphadenopathy, and osteolytic bone lesions. The microscopic features of these two cases were similar and were characterized by effacement of the nodal architecture by lymphocytic infiltrates and small aggregates of epithelioid histiocytes throughout. These lymphocytes showed mild atypia and expressed predominantly CD3. Bone marrow was also involved in the same process in one case and T-cell lymphoma with lymphoepithelioid features was the initial impression. However, further studies reported germline arrangements of T-cell receptor genes, presence of acid-fast bacilli, and recovery of M. kansasii in culture. At follow-up, the lymphadenopathy was seen to have disappeared during antimycobacterial treatment. This report describes two infectious cases with small aggregates of epithelioid histiocytes and atypical lymphocytes mimicking peripheral T-cell lymphoma; and such cases may become more common as the number of immunosuppressed hosts is increasing worldwide. We have reviewed the literature and summarized useful morphologic criteria for differentiation.