A CASE OF LOCALIZED CASTLEMANS-DISEASE WITH SYSTEMIC INVOLVEMENT - TREATMENT AND PATHOGENETIC ASPECTS

A patient is presented who had Castleman's disease with constitutional symptoms, a palpable supra-clavicular/axillar mass, and a microcytic anemia, among other laboratory abnormalities, including elevated level s of interleukin-6. Treatment consisted of irradiation of the involved area, with subsequent disappearance of all symptoms and normalization of the laboratory abnormalities. Iron kinetic studies demonstrated a hypoproliferative erythropoiesis, which normalized after radiotherapy, Hypoproliferative erythopoiesis could not be ascribed to serum inhibi tors, since normal burst-forming units were observed in the absence or presence of autologous serum. The role of interleukin-6 in relation t o Castleman's disease is highlighted.