Intrathoracic Castleman´s disease

Abstract

Background: Castleman’s disease, known as angio follicular lymph node hyperplasia, is characterized by the massive growth of lymphoid tissue. Histollogically there are three categories: hyaline-vascular, plasm cell type and mixed type. Two clinical variants have been described: monocentric (localized) and multicentric.
Objective: to describe our experience in the treatment of this disease, focusing on its mediastinal and pulmonary affection.
Method: review of clinical records and pathological reports.
Results: 5 patients (1 female and 4 male), within an age -range of 58, 5 years were screened. Three patients were affected by the localized type and two by the multicentric type. 
Conclusions: on patients presenting localized type Castleman’s disease, we recommend surgical resection, which is a curative therapy. Patients presenting the monocentric type do not benefit from this therapy and are passible of chemotherapy and /or radiotherapy.