DOXYCYCLINE SCLEROSIS OF BENIGN LYMPHOEPITHELIAL CYSTS IN PATIENTS INFECTED WITH HIV

Benign lymphoepithelial cysts (BLCs) are a widely recognized cause of parotid gland swelling in HIV-infected patients. Although they are nei ther invasive nor associated with malignant degeneration, BLCs can bec ome large and disfiguring. Multiple modalities have been used to contr ol these cysts, but no ideal treatment has been identified, The curren t study examines the efficacy of doxycycline as a BLC sclerosant in ei ght patients, and nine BLCs (bilateral BLC in one patient). Follow-up ranged from 12 to 17 months in all cases. Doxycycline sclerosis contro lled further cyst growth in 100% of cases with no serious complication s, The BLCs became negligible or unnoticeable in two patients, and in six patients (seven BLCs) the cyst became fibrosed and showed no evide nce of further growth over the follow-up period. Although further stud ies are needed to determine the long-term efficacy of this treatment m odality, doxycycline sclerosis appears to offer a simple, safe, cost-e ffective, office based therapeutic option for the treatment of BLCs in patients infected with HIV.