Successful treatment of primary bone marrow Hodgkin lymphoma with brentuximab vedotin: a case report and review of the literature

Primary Bone Marrow Hodgkin's Lymphoma Debuting As Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis in a Patient With HIV

The development of Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) is a known complication in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Extranodal involvement, specifically primary bone marrow Hodgkin's lymphoma (PBMHL) is a rare manifestation that has been reported in HIV-positive patients and may represent a distinct entity from HIV-associated HL. We present a case of PBMHL presenting with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) in an HIV-positive patient. The 55-year-old male with HIV/AIDS presented with abdominal pain, diarrhea, and fever, leading to hospital admission. Despite initial treatment, he deteriorated, prompting re-admission and investigation revealing pancytopenia and elevated inflammatory markers, suggestive of HLH. Subsequent bone marrow biopsy unexpectedly revealed PBMHL. Treatment with HLH-directed therapy and the HLH-94 protocol resulted in significant clinical improvement. This case underscores the importance of recognizing atypical lymphoproliferative presentations in HIV/AIDS patients and the need for interdisciplinary collaboration in complex cases.

An Atypical Presentation of Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) Secondary to Occult Hodgkin Lymphoma

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare and life-threatening syndrome of immune system dysregulation characterized by the phagocytosis of various cells by histiocytes in the bone marrow. HLH can present in one of the two ways: primary HLH, which is caused by mutations in genes essential to T and NK-cell function, and secondary HLH, typically caused by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection or malignancy. Because of the rapid progression and high mortality of this disease, prompt diagnosis is essential to good outcomes. Here, we report the 2-month clinical course of a patient who presented with altered mental status and recurrent fever of unknown origin. Initially, he did not meet diagnostic criteria for HLH and had a negative bone marrow biopsy; however, he eventually progressed to full-blown HLH secondary to occult Hodgkin lymphoma. This case is unusual for the slow and smoldering course of the patient's disease and highlights the importance of aggressively searching for potential malignancies to ensure the initiation of definitive therapy as soon as possible.