title: Successful treatment of mediastinal lymphomatoid granulomatosis with rituximab monotherapy.
abstract: Lymphomatoid granulomatosis is a rare Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive-B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder. Treatment options include corticosteroids, antiviral therapy, interferon-alpha and chemotherapy. However, long-term prognosis is poor and no therapeutic standard has been established yet. In a 21-year-old woman, a biopsy of mediastinal mass revealed lymphomatoid granulomatosis. Combined therapy with valganciclovir and interferon-alpha proved ineffective. In view of the CD20 expression of the tumor cells, monotherapy with rituximab was intiated. After 3 months a complete remission was achieved. Rituximab was continued for another 6 months with subsequent consolidation radiotherapy. This is the first report of an enduring complete remission (20 months) of a non-CNS lymphomatoid granulomatosis treated with rituximab.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine IV, Hematology/Oncology, Martin-Luther-University Halle/Wittenberg, Halle/Saale, Germany. karin.jordan@medizin.uni-halle.de
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jordan
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grothey
authors.forename: Wilfried
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Grothe
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kegel
authors.forename: Hans-Heinrich
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Hans-Joachim
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Schmoll
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008230:Lymphomatoid Granulomatosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D000069283:Rituximab
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000069283:Rituximab