title: Multicentric Castleman's disease treated with combination chemotherapy and rituximab in four HIV-positive men: a case series.
abstract: Multicentric Castleman's disease (MDC) is a rare herpesvirus-8-related prelymphomatous condition that may develop in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Therapy for MCD is not well established and most often includes: corticosteroids, single or combined chemotherapy, anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody and antiretroviral therapy. In order to obtain a rapid and long-lasting clinical response, we are reporting on a short course of anthracycline-based chemotherapy associated with rituximab in HIV-positive patients with MCD. Our study suggests that the combined immuno-chemotherapy approach may represent a valid strategy with acceptable toxicity in patients with severe and extensive MDC. Further studies will be needed to assess the efficacy and safety of such an approach, and to identify risk factors predictive of long-term tolerance in HIV patients with different degrees of immunosuppression.
authors.affiliation: Division of Internal Medicine, Montreal General Hospital and McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bestawros
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Michel
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Séguin
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Routy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D005871:Castleman Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D000069283:Rituximab; D014764:Viral Proteins
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins; C107890:assembly protein, Human herpesvirus 8; D000069283:Rituximab