DEVELOPMENT OF PYOTHORAX-ASSOCIATED PLEURAL LYMPHOMA IN RELATION TO FOCAL CYTOKINEMIC CONDITION AND EPSTEIN-BARR-VIRUS INFECTION

We report an initial case of pyothorax-associated pleural lymphoma (PA PL) in which the level of interleukin 6 (IL-6) was remarkably high in the pleural fluid contaminated with tumor cells; at the same time Epst ein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded small RNAs (EBERs) were detected in the l ymphoma cells by in situ hybridization, These findings suggest the pos sibility that EBV-transformed B cells proliferated in the focal cytoki nemic condition caused by long-standing chronic inflammation of the pl eura and give us a clue to the lymphoma genesis of PAPL.