Malignant lymphoma in a patient with chronic empyema
Yamazaki, S.; Hasegawa, Y.; Senbo, J.; Komatus, H.; Kase, H.; Nonaka, H.
Nihon Kyobu Geka Gakkai 36(12): 2662-2666
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0369-4739 PMID: 3069941 Document Number: 305457
A fifty two years old male who had an episode of pulmonary tuberculosis treated with artificial pneumothorax forty years ago was admitted with chronic empyema. After chest tube drainage, right pleuropneumonectomy was performed. Pathological examination of the surgical specimen revealed B cell lymphoma, diffuse cell type, in the empyema wall and its adjacent lung tissue. In the literature of Japan, seven cases were reported to have malignant lymphoma associated with chronic empyema, all of which seemed to have the same histology as our case, and interesingly, five of the seven reported cases had been treated with artificial pneumothorax for pulmonary tuberculosis many years ago. This patient has been alive for fourteen months following operation by chemotherapy including cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, vincristine and predonisolone.