Dynamics of Epstein-Barr virus load in pyothorax-associated lymphoma.
We treated a 73-year-old man who developed a pyothorax-associated pleural lymphoma after a 52-year history of tuberculous pleuritis. The lymphoma was classified histologically as a diffuse large, B-cell type. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was identified in the tumor by immunocytochemical and molecular methods. Chemotherapy both without and with the addition of rituximab was only minimally effective, but adding radiotherapy to chemotherapy reduced the tumor size, resulting in a partial remission. The EBV load measured by a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction correlated well with the tumor size and the serum lactate dehydrogenase concentration. Monitoring the EBV load may be useful in the management of pyothorax-associated lymphoma.
Shide
Kotaro
K
Medicine and Biosystemic Science, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Fukuoka, Japan.
Henzan
Hideho
H
Nagafuji
Koji
K
Aoki
Kenichi
K
Miyamoto
Toshihiro
T
Shimoda
Kazuya
K
Kazuyama
Yukumasa
Y
Ohshima
Koichi
K
Gondo
Hisashi
H
Harada
Mine
M
D016724:Empyema, Pleural / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D019562:Viral Load