MULTICENTRIC CASTLEMANS-DISEASE WITH AN INCREASED SERUM LEVEL OF MACROPHAGE-COLONY-STIMULATING FACTOR

We describe a 74-year-old patient with multicentric Castleman's diseas e (MCD) whose serum macrophage colony-stimulating factor level was ele vated, Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin 6 w ere also elevated at presentation, and they returned to normal levels after chemotherapy. Although the total serum cholesterol level was bel ow normal on admission, it increased after chemotherapy. These results suggest that the activation of monocytes or macrophages may be involv ed in certain pathological phenomena in MCD. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.