PRIMARY NON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMA OF THE SCIATIC-NERVE FOLLOWED BY LOCALIZATION IN THE CENTRAL-NERVOUS-SYSTEM - CASE-REPORT AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: A unique case of primary non-Hodgkin's lymph oma of the sciatic nerve followed by multiple loci in the central nerv ous system is described. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: The lesion occurred in a 44-year-old immuno-competent man with a palpable mass in the left p opliteal fossa and a 10-month history of progressive weakness and numb ness of the left foot. The tumor was a diffuse large lymphoma of B-cel l origin of an intermediate grade of malignancy according to the crite ria of the International Working Formulation. INTERVENTION: Because di agnosis of the malignant lymphoma was performed on frozen section, res ection of the nerve trunk was avoided. The patient was treated with ra diotherapy and chemotherapy. At 6 months after the discovery, biopsy, and treatment of the sciatic nerve lymphoma, other lesions demonstrati ng the same histological features were observed in the central nervous system. The patient died 4 years and 2 months after presentation as a result of the central nervous system lesions and without clinical evi dence of systemic extraneural localization. CONCLUSION: A review of th e literature indicates that primary peripheral nerve lymphomas occur i n the sciatic nerve. These cases, and the case described in our study, share common clinicopathological findings that justify discussing the m separately as distinct entities.