Castleman's Disease

Lymphoma-like malignancy which can be unicentric or multicentric.

Your Path

  • Castleman's Disease

Etiology

  • Unicentric Castlemans: unknown etiology.
  • Multicentric Castlemans: Systemic illness from dysregulation of cytokines; > 50% idiopathic

Risk Factors

  • Multicentric Castlemans: 40-50% related to HHV8 infxn in immuncompromised patients (e.g HIV); often hx other autoimmune dz.

Symptoms

  • Unicentric: : usually focal adenopathy; sometimes sx related to compression of adjacent structures; sometimes mild systemic sx.
  • Multicentric: F, C, sweats, adenopathy; can be recurrent; Can be very ill

Physical Exam Findings

  • Unicentric: single focus of LN enlargement
  • Multicentric: F, generalized ill appearance, diffuse adenopathy, organomegaly.