Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related lymphoma of the lung presenting as empyema thoracis.
B-cell lymphoma in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus is usually a disseminated process that occasionally involves the lungs. Surgical diagnosis is often necessary to distinguish this from other neoplasms or opportunistic infections of the lung. We report a case of pulmonary B-cell lymphoma in a patient infected with human immunodeficiency virus who presented with a left empyema thoracis and an associated left lower lobe abscess secondary to bronchial obstruction. Resection was performed and the patient subsequently recovered from the acute process and survived an additional 6 months. This report demonstrates that surgical intervention may be necessary for both the diagnosis of pulmonary lymphoma and the definitive management of infectious complications that may arise as a result of pulmonary neoplastic disease in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
Forbes
A D
AD
Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
Marchioro
T L
TL
Schmidt
R A
RA
Wood
B
B
Verrier
E D
ED
D000328:Adult; D016724:Empyema, Pleural / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D016483:Lymphoma, AIDS-Related / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography