title: Total circulating B lymphocyte abnormalities in a primary cerebral localization of non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a case report.
abstract: The authors describe a case of primary central nervous system lymphoma in a 43-year-old male. Interest in this rare form of B-lymphocyte non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is due to its increasing incidence in the last decade, especially in immunodeficient patients. Extraneural involvement was excluded by staging examinations: bilateral bone marrow biopsy from the posterior iliac crest, bipedal lymphography, abdominal CT scan, skeletal, thoracic and gastrointestinal X-rays, spinal puncture, ORL and clinical examination. The peripheral immunologic state was particularly interesting: there was a substantial decrease in total circulating B-lymphocytes at diagnosis (4.4% = 80/mmc; nv 13 +/- 4% = 287 +/- 130/mmc) and a further decrease after 2 and 4 months of therapy (0.16% = 2/mmc). Three months after completion of therapy, the B-lymphocyte level returned to the base level at diagnosis (7% = 88/mmc). At 10 months after diagnosis and 3 months after completion of chemotherapy, the patient is alive and in good health except for the after-effects of a left hemiparesis. The etiologic and possible pathogenic factors are considered.
authors.affiliation: Medical Oncology Division, Oncology Institute, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guida
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Casamassima
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marzullo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Addabbo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Filotico
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lorusso
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male