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Case report of a primary effusion lymphoma successfully treated with oral valganciclovir after failing chemotherapy
Author(s) -
Marquet Juan,
VelazquezKennedy Kyra,
López Sandra,
Benito Amparo,
Blanchard MaríaJesús,
GarciaVela Jose Antonio
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
hematological oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.918
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1099-1069
pISSN - 0278-0232
DOI - 10.1002/hon.2445
Subject(s) - valganciclovir , medicine , primary effusion lymphoma , lymphoma , chemotherapy , pleural effusion , gastroenterology , oncology , surgery , ganciclovir , immunology , virus , human cytomegalovirus
Primary effusion lymphoma is a rare non‐Hodgkin lymphoma that presents with pleural effusions and lacking of tumour mass. It is universally associated with human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) and is more frequent among immunosuppressed patients. There is no standard treatment, chemotherapy and anti‐HIV therapy have been used with poor results, but there is still no strong evidence supporting the use of valganciclovir. We present the case of a HIV positive man that presented with pleural effusion compatible with primary effusion lymphoma and positivity for HHV8 DNA in blood. Bortezomib‐containing treatment protocol was started, but the disease progressed within the chemotherapy. Therefore, treatment with oral valganciclovir was decided and the patient achieved a sustained radiological complete response. HHV8 DNA turned negative 6 months after starting the treatment with valganciclovir.