Body-cavity-based lymphoma (BCBL) is a recently described subtype of h
uman non-Hodgkin's lymphoma characterized by the localization of neopl
astic cells exclusively in the body cavities. BCBL is found most commo
nly in AIDS patients, and is known to be highly associated with Kaposi
's sarcoma-associated herpes virus (KSHV). We describe here a case of
BCBL that occurred in a 101-year-old man. He was successively treated
with etoposide, but died 8 months after the diagnosis of BCBL. No lymp
homa masses were noted at pre-and postmortem examinations. KSHV was de
monstrated in large numbers in the neoplastic cells using semiquantita
tive PCR analysis. Although there have been four brief reports of HIV
negative BCBL, the present case is the first for which the detailed cl
inical course and response to chemotherapy have been recorded. (C) 199
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