Multicentric Castleman's disease with multiple hepatic mass lesions mimicking malignant liver tumors

Follicular lymphoma with hepatic accumulation on FDG-PET/CT masquerading IgG4-related disease

Follicular lymphoma is clinically classified as a common type of indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and its clinical diagnosis is difficult because B symptoms and elevated soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) levels are less frequent in follicular lymphoma than in other lymphomas. We report a case of follicular lymphoma masquerading immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) with elevated IgG4 levels. A 67-year-old man presented to our hospital with a 1-year history of deep right supraclavicular and para-aortic lymph node lymphadenopathy on plain computed tomography (CT) findings along with elevated IgG4 levels, and the ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scan showed heterogeneous diffuse FDG uptake in the liver, and FDG uptake was noted at multiple sites in the enlarged right supraclavicular and para-aortic lymph nodes. Excisional biopsy of the right supraclavicular lymph node, performed under general anesthesia, showed a tumor-like structure mimicking a normal germinal center in the lymphoid follicle; immunostaining was positive for B-cell lymphoma 2 and CD10 proteins with some plasma cells stained with IgG, only 30% of them were positive for IgG4, and no marked fibrosis characteristic of IgG4-RD was observed; therefore, follicular lymphoma was diagnosed, and all symptoms, including FDG uptake, improved with rituximab monotherapy. Differential diagnoses of slowly progressive generalized lymphadenopathy over the years with elevated serum IgG4 levels include IgG4-RD, Castleman's disease, and indolent lymphoma. Multiple accumulation in the liver on FDG-PET/CT, if found, may suggest indolent lymphoma among them.

Post direct acting anti-viral agents associated primary hepatic Castleman's disease: A case report

Castleman's disease (CD) is a primary lymphoproliferative disorder of the lymph nodes with rare extra-nodal primary affection. Presentation of case: Here we present a case of primary hepatic CD associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Discussion: Sixty-two years old, male received direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) for HCV infection. Follow up revealed sustained virologic response; however, three hepatic focal lesions were accidently discovered. Triphasic CT confirmed the HCC nature of two masses while the other mass remained undiagnosed. Surgical intervention was the treatment of choice, and pathological examination showed a fairly circumscribed mass formed of angiolymphoid hyperplasia displayed atrophic germinal center, expanded mantle zone, and variable hyalinization. The radiological evaluation of lymph nodes was unremarkable. The patient is 40 months alive after resection, with no further management advised. Conclusion: The immune-modulatory effect of DAAs may induce hepatic CD development in a cirrhotic patient, necessitating further studies. A new radiologic finding was observed in the present case in the form of vessels traversing through the lesion with no attenuation or occlusion. Pathology remains the gold standard in the diagnosis of CD.

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Eighteen cases of primary hepatic Castleman's disease (CD) has been reported.

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The association of post direct-acting anti-viral agents with the development of both hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and CD may have immune base.

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A new radiologic finding of hepatic CD in the form of vessels traversing through the lesion with no attenuation or occlusion has been encountered in this case.

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Pathology remains the gold standard in the diagnosis of CD.

Liver cirrhosis in a child associated with Castleman's disease: A case report

BACKGROUND

Castleman's disease (CD) is a lymphoproliferative disorder. TAFRO syndrome is classified as a variant of CD based on its key clinical manifestations of thrombocytopenia, anasarca (generalized edema and pleural effusion), fever (pyrexia), reticulin fibrosis in the bone marrow and the proliferation of megakaryocytes, and organomegaly (such as hepatosplenomegaly and multiple lymphadenopathies); TAFRO syndrome is mainly reported in Japanese patients. To our knowledge, this is the first pediatric case report detailing a CD-associated disorder progressing to cirrhosis.

CASE SUMMARY

A 10-year old male patient presented with fever and anemia. Six months before hospitalization, he had remarkable abdominal distention. Subsequently, he visited a clinic for a fever that lasted 5 d. The physical findings were marked hepatosplenomegaly and cervical lymphadenopathy. A blood test revealed leukocytosis, microcytic anemia, aspartate aminotransferase-dominant transaminase elevation, high levels of C-reactive protein, polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia, and high levels of interleukin-6 and vascular endothelial growth factor. Abdominal contrast computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging suggested cirrhosis, which was confirmed by liver histology. Histological findings in the enlarged hepatic lymph nodes revealed both hyperplasia and atrophy of lymphoid follicles with some vascular hyperplasia and moderate plasmacytosis between the lymphoid follicles, which is compatible with lymph node histology in TAFRO syndrome. Prednisolone was not effective in reducing the patient’s symptoms; therefore, the patient was prescribed tocilizumab. To date, the patient remains free of fever and continues to receive tocilizumab.

CONCLUSION

We described the clinicopathological features of TAFRO syndrome to highlight the clinical presentation of this rare disease in a pediatric case.