Simultaneous occurrence of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: case report and literature review

Abstract Background Patients with lymphoma are at risk for developing pulmonary opportunistic infections due to immunocompromise. However, clinical reports of concurrent lymphoma and opportunistic infection at presentation are rare and often confined to single cases. A delayed diagnosis of either op...

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Main Authors: Lianyou Shao, Longxiang Jiang, Siyao Wu, Lihua Yu, Liangxing Wang, Xiaoying Huang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2020-01-01
Series:BMC Cancer
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-019-6471-x
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author Lianyou Shao
Longxiang Jiang
Siyao Wu
Lihua Yu
Liangxing Wang
Xiaoying Huang
author_facet Lianyou Shao
Longxiang Jiang
Siyao Wu
Lihua Yu
Liangxing Wang
Xiaoying Huang
author_sort Lianyou Shao
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Patients with lymphoma are at risk for developing pulmonary opportunistic infections due to immunocompromise. However, clinical reports of concurrent lymphoma and opportunistic infection at presentation are rare and often confined to single cases. A delayed diagnosis of either opportunistic infection or lymphoma usually occurs in this complex situation. Here, we report such a case and analyse 18 similar cases searched in the PubMed database to deepen clinicians’ understanding. Case presentation A 48-year-old man presented with a 3-month history of fever, cough and emaciation. High-resolution computed tomography revealed bilateral cavitating lesions of different sizes. Aspergillus fumigatus complex was identified from a bronchoalveolar lavage fluid culture. However, antifungal treatment combined with multiple rounds of antibacterial therapy was unsuccessful, and the patient’s lung lesions continued to deteriorate. Multiple puncture biopsies finally confirmed the coexistence of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Despite the initiation of combination chemotherapy, the patient died of progressive respiratory failure. Conclusions Synchronous pulmonary lymphoma and simultaneous opportunistic infection is rare and usually lacks specific clinical and imaging manifestations. Lymphoma should be considered as part of the differential diagnosis of patients with an opportunistic infection when treatment fails or other symptoms are present that could be considered “atypical” for the condition. Tissue biopsy is the gold standard, and multiple biopsies are essential for making the final diagnosis and should be performed upon early suspicion.
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spelling doaj.art-d855529c37af431a8f8ea91ebc0f45df2022-12-21T22:41:40ZengBMCBMC Cancer1471-24072020-01-012011910.1186/s12885-019-6471-xSimultaneous occurrence of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: case report and literature reviewLianyou Shao0Longxiang Jiang1Siyao Wu2Lihua Yu3Liangxing Wang4Xiaoying Huang5Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Key Laboratory of Heart and Lung, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical UniversityDivision of Pulmonary Medicine, Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital of WenzhouDivision of Pulmonary Medicine, Key Laboratory of Heart and Lung, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical UniversityDivision of Pulmonary Medicine, Key Laboratory of Heart and Lung, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical UniversityDivision of Pulmonary Medicine, Key Laboratory of Heart and Lung, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical UniversityDivision of Pulmonary Medicine, Key Laboratory of Heart and Lung, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical UniversityAbstract Background Patients with lymphoma are at risk for developing pulmonary opportunistic infections due to immunocompromise. However, clinical reports of concurrent lymphoma and opportunistic infection at presentation are rare and often confined to single cases. A delayed diagnosis of either opportunistic infection or lymphoma usually occurs in this complex situation. Here, we report such a case and analyse 18 similar cases searched in the PubMed database to deepen clinicians’ understanding. Case presentation A 48-year-old man presented with a 3-month history of fever, cough and emaciation. High-resolution computed tomography revealed bilateral cavitating lesions of different sizes. Aspergillus fumigatus complex was identified from a bronchoalveolar lavage fluid culture. However, antifungal treatment combined with multiple rounds of antibacterial therapy was unsuccessful, and the patient’s lung lesions continued to deteriorate. Multiple puncture biopsies finally confirmed the coexistence of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Despite the initiation of combination chemotherapy, the patient died of progressive respiratory failure. Conclusions Synchronous pulmonary lymphoma and simultaneous opportunistic infection is rare and usually lacks specific clinical and imaging manifestations. Lymphoma should be considered as part of the differential diagnosis of patients with an opportunistic infection when treatment fails or other symptoms are present that could be considered “atypical” for the condition. Tissue biopsy is the gold standard, and multiple biopsies are essential for making the final diagnosis and should be performed upon early suspicion.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-019-6471-xLymphomaOpportunistic infectionConcurrent infectionBiopsy
spellingShingle Lianyou Shao
Longxiang Jiang
Siyao Wu
Lihua Yu
Liangxing Wang
Xiaoying Huang
Simultaneous occurrence of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: case report and literature review
BMC Cancer
Lymphoma
Opportunistic infection
Concurrent infection
Biopsy
title Simultaneous occurrence of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: case report and literature review
title_full Simultaneous occurrence of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: case report and literature review
title_fullStr Simultaneous occurrence of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: case report and literature review
title_full_unstemmed Simultaneous occurrence of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: case report and literature review
title_short Simultaneous occurrence of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: case report and literature review
title_sort simultaneous occurrence of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and diffuse large b cell lymphoma case report and literature review
topic Lymphoma
Opportunistic infection
Concurrent infection
Biopsy
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-019-6471-x
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