Pulmonary lymphoma of large B-cell type mimicking Wegener's granulomatosis

Diffuse large B cell lymphoma presenting as multiple cavitary lung lesions

A female patient in her 50s presented to the hospital with a 2 months history of shortness of breath and productive cough. She also had ongoing fatigue and unintentional weight loss. Investigations demonstrated a normal white cell count and elevated lactate dehydrogenase). A CT scan of the chest revealed multiple bilateral cavitary lung masses and pulmonary nodules. Bronchoscopy with transbronchial biopsy and fine needle aspiration of mediastinal lymph node was performed. The histopathology was consistent with the non-germinal centre B cell subtype of diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). A regimen of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone was started, which improved her symptoms. Although a rare presentation, this case highlights the need to consider DLBCL among the differential diagnoses for cavitary lung lesions when the workup fails to elicit an alternate cause. Given its aggressive nature, prompt diagnosis and treatment are critical.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma presenting with cavitary lung disease

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with cavitary lung disease is rare and is often difficult to differentiate from primary lung cancer, granulomatous disease, or an infectious disease based on imaging findings alone. We herein report a case in which a patient with DLBCL presented with cavitary lung disease and splenic mass, which was diagnosed by transbronchial biopsy. DLBCL should be considered as a differential diagnosis in patients with cavitary lung diseases who have rare metastatic lesions for primary lung cancer, such as intra-abdominal lymph nodes or spleen.

Primary Pulmonary Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma Mimicking Metastasis: A Case Report and Literature Review

Primary pulmonary diffuse large B cell lymphoma (PPDLBCL) is extremely rare, with fewer than 40 cases reported to date and a lack of systemic analysis. Herein, we present a case of PPDLBCL mimicking metastasis in a heavily treated patient with breast cancer. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of PPDLBCL in a patient with breast cancer. A 66-year-old Chinese female diagnosed with breast cancer 7.5 years previously and multiple bone metastases 31 months later presented with a new-onset subpleural nodule in the inferior lobe of left lung detected by routine follow-up in November 2017. A 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography-computed tomography scan showed that the pulmonary nodule was hypermetabolic with a maximum standard uptake value of 14.9, consistent with lung metastasis in view of her history of breast cancer and multiple bone involvement. Surprisingly, pathologic investigation revealed primary lung DLBCL, staged IEA. Systemic chemotherapy with R-CDOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, vindesine, doxorubicin liposome, and prednisone) achieved complete remission with mild side effects. At the latest follow-up in August 2019, the patient had disease-free survival of 21 months. The findings from this case indicate that primary pulmonary lymphoma should be included in the differential diagnostic checklist of pulmonary occupancy, even in solid tumor patients treated with multiple modalities. When a newly developed lung nodule is identified in such patients, clinicians should not take for granted that it is lung metastasis. Pathology results are a prerequisite for making a correct diagnosis, choosing appropriate treatment, and improving patient prognosis.

Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma Mimicking Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis

In a patient with systemic multiorgan disease with overlapping features, the differential diagnosis included infectious diseases, malignancies, and systemic autoimmune or inflammatory diseases. We present an unusual case of a young male with B cell lymphoma who presented with symptoms mimicking systemic vasculitis and review the existing literature.

Imaging findings of pulmonary granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's granulomatosis): lesions invading the pulmonary fissure, pleura or diaphragm mimicking malignancy

BACKGROUND

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA, formerly Wegener's granulomatosis), in which pulmonary involvement often predominates, is a multisystem granulomatous, necrotizing vasculitis that affects small and medium-sized vessels. In this study we evaluated various radiological findings of pulmonary GPA and focused on spiculated pulmonary lesions invading the pulmonary fissure, pleura or diaphragm mimicking malignancy.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 48 patients, aged 28-73 (mean, 47.3) years, who showed either histopathological diagnosis of GPA (n = 39) or elevated levels of the cytoplasmic anti-neutrophilic cytoplasmic antibody serum marker (n = 9) between January 2003 and December 2013. All patients received a chest computed tomography (CT), and the types of pulmonary lesions were defined and evaluated.

RESULTS

Among the 48 patients, 33 had abnormal pulmonary findings on CT. The most commonly detected pulmonary lesion types were nodules and masses (n = 126) observed in 24 patients. Cavitation, necrosis, spiculation and invasion of the fissure, pleura or diaphragm were observed in 14, 9, 10 and 6 patients, respectively. Consolidation was found in 14 patients and thickening of bronchial wall in 8 patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Pulmonary lesion types of GPA have a wide spectrum, potentially mimicking a high number of diseases including malignancy, infection and noninfectious inflammatory diseases. A spiculated lung lesion invading the fissure, pleura or diaphragm is mostly present in malignancy, but it can be also seen in GPA.

Primary pulmonary lymphoma mimicking a refractory lung abscess: A case report

The current study presents a case of primary pulmonary lymphoma (PPL) mimicking refractory lung abscess that was diagnosed at autopsy. An 80-year-old male with clinically inapparent aspiration presented with a large cavitated mass and pleural effusion. A lung abscess and empyema was diagnosed, therefore, antibiotics were administered and the pleural effusion was drained. Various examinations, including a biopsy, yielded no specific diagnosis. The lesion was considered inoperable due to the poor general condition of the patient. Subsequently, the mass that had been diagnosed as a refractory lung abscess became enlarged and a repeat biopsy resulted in a diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The patient succumbed to sudden respiratory failure, and the final diagnosis of PPL was confirmed at autopsy. PPL is a rare disease that accounts for 0.45% of all pulmonary malignant tumors and is difficult to diagnose in inoperable cases. Therefore, patients with PPL who do not undergo surgery can be misdiagnosed and consequently treated inappropriately. PPL should therefore be considered in the differential diagnosis of a refractory lung abscess.

Cavitary pulmonary involvement of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma transformed from extra nodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma MALT type

We describe a case of pulmonary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), which was thought to arise from extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT lymphoma). A 68-year-old woman presented with a 2-month history of cough and bloody sputum. The chest X-ray and computed tomography revealed a mass with cavitation in the right lower lobe. Transbronchial biopsy specimens revealed a granulomatous infiltration without malignant cells. However, diagnosis of MALT lymphoma was established from gastric biopsy specimen. Subsequently, a right lower lobectomy was performed because of hemoptysis. Examination of the resected specimen revealed a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, which was considered to have transformed from MALT lymphoma, because both lung and stomach lesions had the chromosomal translocation t(11;18)(q21;q21) in common. In addition, there were no nodules, masses, alveolar or interstitial infiltrates in the lung fields, which are usually observed in the case of marginal zone B-cell lymphoma of bronchial mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue. These findings indicate that involvement of DLBCL have to be considered in patients with MALT lymphoma and cavitary lesion of the lung.

Bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma stage IV with subsequent histologic transformation to an aggressive lymphoma: A case report

Introduction

Extranodal marginal B-cell lymphoma of bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue is a rare entity accounting for less than 1% of all lymphomas. We report a case of a low-grade bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma stage IV with transformation to an aggressive large B-cell lymphoma.

Case presentation

A 59-year-old African-American man was incidentally found to have a bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma involving the bilateral lower lobes of his lungs. In addition, bone marrow involvement was discovered. His course was indolent with only some mild respiratory symptoms. He received single agent treatment with rituximab. No evidence of progression was seen at the end of receiving this regimen. Two years after treatment our patient presented with B symptoms. Imaging now showed significant increase in the size of the lung masses with cavitation of the right lower lobe mass. A repeat transbronchial biopsy suggested transformation to an aggressive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

Conclusion

This case illustrates a rare bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma stage IV with histologic transformation to an aggressive lymphoma. In addition, this rare case of transformation presented as a cavitary lesion.

Rapidly progressive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with initial clinical presentation mimicking seronegative Wegener's granulomatosis

Here we present a 40-yr-old male patient with an aggressive B-cell lymphoma, who presented 2 yr earlier with polyarthritis, and was responsive to steroids and oral methotrexate. Thereafter he developed skin and lung lesions which on biopsy consisted of mixed 'inflammatory' infiltrates with granulomatous vasculitis. A diagnosis of seronegative Wegener's granulomatosis was made and the patient received a combination of prednisone and cyclophosphamide with clinical improvement and clearance of the radiological lesions in the lungs. The patient was now completely asymptomatic for 1 yr, but then generalized lymphadenopathy appeared, which was shown by histopathology to be large B-cell lymphoma, also involving the bone marrow. Despite intensive chemotherapy, his disease could not be controlled because of primary chemoresistance, which was perhaps in some way related to exposure to the suboptimal doses of chemotherapy given during the 'inflammatory' period before the diagnosis of lymphoma was established. This case illustrates the occasional difficulty in distinguishing between extranodal lymphoproliferative diseases and autoimmune disorders especially when clonality cannot be proved. It also shows the possible risk of 'masking' a true lymphoma by treating non-malignant diseases with immunosuppressive agents, which may eventually contribute to the development of chemoresistant lymphoma.

[Primary pulmonary lymphoma presenting as a pulmonary mass with cavitation]

Primary pulmonary lymphoma is a rare entity usually formed of B-type cells, usually low-grade and composed of mucosal- or bronchial-associated lymphoid tissue. High-grade primary pulmonary lymphomas usually occur in immunodeficient patients who mostly present with respiratory and nonspecific symptoms. A chest x-ray may show a pulmonary mass or atelectasis and pleural effusion. In such cases, the prognosis is worse than for low-grade pulmonary lymphomas; survival is 8 to 10 years and there is a higher probability of local progression or metastasis. We report the case of an immunocompetent 76-year-old patient who had a pulmonary mass with cavitation secondary to a large B-cell primary pulmonary lymphoma. After the fourth session of chemotherapy the pulmonary mass was reduced in size and an aspergilloma was seen to have developed in the residual cavity. A review of the literature revealed this case to be anecdotal as it is extremely infrequent for a primary pulmonary lymphoma to present in the form of a single mass with cavitation and with few symptoms.