[A case of primary pulmonary malignant lymphoma associated with autoimmune hemolytic anemia].

ABSTRACT

A 74-year-old man who had been treated for autoimmune hemolytic anemia was admitted to our hospital for dry cough and shortness of breath. Chest X-ray revealed multiple round opacities. The pathological examination of a percutaneous biopsy specimen revealed B-cell malignant lymphoma of the diffuse large-cell type. Gallium scintigraphy showed positive accumulation only in the lungs, and thus a diagnosis of primary pulmonary lymphoma was made. He received several courses of R-CHOP therapy and achieved partial remission. Primary pulmonary malignant lymphoma associated with autoimmune hemolytic anemia is extremely rare. Although the underlying mechanism remains to be clarified, it is likely that Epskin-Barr virus infection leads to the development of malignant lymphomas in some cases.