HYPERTHYROIDISM DUE TO LYMPHOMA INVOLVING THE THYROID-GLAND IN A PATIENT WITH ACQUIRED-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-SYNDROME - CASE-REPORT AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

A 31-year old woman with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and a history of lymphoma presented with a 2-week history of severe hyper thyroid symptoms and new-onset neck swelling. On physical examination, she was found to be clinically hyperthyroid, with a markedly enlarged , diffuse, tender goiter. Thyroid function testing confirmed hyperthyr oidism. The patient had a rapidly deteriorating clinical course and di ed within days of her presentation. At autopsy, near-complete replacem ent of the thyroid gland with anaplastic large cell lymphoma was found , without coexisting infectious or autoimmune processes in the gland. This is the first case report of a patient with AIDS developing sympto matic thyroid involvement by lymphoma, and one of only a few case repo rts of hyperthyroidism associated with lymphoma in general.