title: Development of malignant mesothelioma during treatment for prolymphocytic leukemia: is asbestos or simian virus 40 a link?
abstract: A patient with a history of heavy asbestos exposure presented with B-prolymphocytic leukemia/lymphoma (B-PLL). Soon after, he developed rapidly progressing malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. The concurrent development of both relatively uncommon diseases raised the possibility that a common causative factor might exist. Since asbestos, simian virus 40 (SV40), or both have been associated with lymphoproliferative disease and mesothelioma, we investigated both possible links in our patient. Imaging studies provided evidence for asbestos exposure because bilateral pleural plaques were identified. Tissues from bone marrow (involved with B-PLL) and from a peritoneal nodule (involved with mesothelioma) were examined for SV40 DNA using polymerase chain reaction (PCR): no SV40 DNA was detected. We conclude that asbestos remains the sole possible connection to both malignancies in this patient. It seems possible that fludarabine, an immunosuppressive chemotherapy, accelerated the occurrence and progression of malignant mesothelioma during the therapy for his B-PLL.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 60153, USA. ttanve@lumc.edu
authors.forename: Tawee
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanvetyanon
authors.forename: Amira G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Elmishad
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carbone
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001194:Asbestos / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000378:metabolism; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000378:metabolism; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D015463:Leukemia, Prolymphocytic / Q000473:pathology*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000556:secondary*; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000556:secondary*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013539:Simian virus 40 / Q000378:metabolism*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014740:Vidarabine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D001194:Asbestos; D014740:Vidarabine; C024352:fludarabine