title: Unique association of Waldenström macroglobulinemia with optic neuritis and monoclonal T cell expansion.
abstract: Waldenström macroglobulinemia is a lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma characterized by production of the immunoglobulin M (IgM) monoclonal protein. Commonly involved sites are the bone marrow, lymph nodes, and spleen. Lymphoplasmacytic infiltration of the central nervous system (CNS), in contrast, is referred to as Bing-Neel syndrome, and is an extremely rare phenomenon. Here, we present a unique case of Waldenström macroglobulinemia with optic neuritis accompanied by monoclonal expansion of T cells, which recovered after administration of CNS-targeting chemotherapy. Although the underlying causal relationships in this case remain obscure, aberrantly expanded T cells may have contributed to the development of optic neuritis, and we should be reminded that some types of cranial neuropathy in Waldenström macroglobulinemia may be reversible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan.
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.forename: Akihide
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yoshimi
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Masuda
authors.forename: Motoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ichikawa
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yatomi
authors.forename: Mineo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurokawa
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019574:Optic Nerve Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D009902:Optic Neuritis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D008258:Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology