title: [Aggressive NK/T cell leukemia/lymphoma associated with EBV].
abstract: The authors describe an unusual case of a young man presenting with fever, asthenia, anorexia and jaundice, associated to hepatosplenomegaly, evolving rapidly to multiorganic failure. Final diagnosis revealed an aggressive NK cell leukemia/lymphoma associated to the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The diagnosis, suggested clinically and after bone marrow immunophenotyping, was confirmed by morphologic and immunohistochemical findings on the post-mortem hepatic and splenic biopsy .The tumor cells were positive for CD3 and cytotoxic molecules, TIA, granzyme B and perforin. The herein reported case is a rare clinical entity, only recently recognized and with a difficult early diagnosis. We emphasize the necessity to exclude a Natural Killer cell malignancy in cases with identical characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Medicina Interna, Hospitais da Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Jamira
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cabezuelo
authors.forename: Sérgio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Filipe
authors.forename: Adélia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Simão
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nascimento Costa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000150:complications*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural; D015458:Leukemia, T-Cell / Q000821:virology*; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male