A case of progression from type II cryoglobulinaemia to Waldenstrom's macroglobulinaemia in a patient with chronic hepatitis C.
Hepatitis C infection is associated with B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders, including mixed cryoglobulinaemia and B-cell lymphoma. A direct pathogenetic role of this infection in lymphomagenesis has been suggested but the molecular basis for viral induced B-cell proliferation is still unknown. We report an unusual case of a patient affected by chronic hepatitis C who presented severe type II cryoglobulinaemia and subsequently lymphoplasmacytoid lymphoma consistent with Waldenstrom's macroglobulinaemia and type I cryoglobulinaemia. In this patient antiviral treatment induced beneficial effects.
Neri
S
S
Department of Internal Medicine and Systemic Diseases, University of Catania, Edificio 29, I piano, Via S. Sofia 86, I-95123 Catania, Italy. sergio.neri4@tin.it
Pulvirenti
D
D
Mauceri
B
B
Ignaccolo
L
L
Azzolina
R
R
D003449:Cryoglobulinemia / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008258:Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*