Lymphoma of the vitreous associated with renal transplantation and immunosuppressive therapy.
A renal transplant patient presented with a uveitis unresponsive to high doses of steroids. A pars plana vitrectomy was performed for diagnosis. Light and transmission electron microscopy confirmed the diagnosis of lymphoma of the vitreous. Six percent of the renal transplant recipients develop tumors. This frequency is 100 times greater than the general population. Reticulum cell sarcoma is the predominant type being 350 times more common in renal transplant recipients than in the general population. The patient was taking immunosuppressive drugs which depress the immunologic surveillance. Antigenic neoplastic cells may arise by somatic mutations and may proliferate producing neoplasms with loss of the surveillance mechanism. The case presented illustrates that persons immunosuppressed may develop an eye tumor presenting as uveitis.
D000328:Adult; D005134:Eye Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014605:Uveitis / Q000209:etiology; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery / Q000648:ultrastructure