Treatment of multicentric Castleman's disease complicated by the development of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with high-dose chemotherapy and autologous peripheral stem-cell support

Background: Castleman's disease or angiofollicular lymph node hyperplasia i s a rare entity with a localized/unicentric or a generalized/multicentric p resentation. Whilie surgery is curable for most localized presentations, th ere is limited information regarding the optimal management of the multicen tric type. The latter type is associated with a poor prognoses and can be a ssociated with the development of lymphoma and infections. Patients and methods: In this report we describe a case of multicentric Cas tleman's disease who failed steroids and chemotherapy and developed a folli cular mixed lymphoma. He was treated with high-dose chemotherapy with autol ogous stem-cell support and remains disease at four years of follow-up. Conclusions: A long-term durable remission may be possible with high dose c hemotherapy with stem-cell support. This treatment modality should be consi dered an option in the management of multicentric Castleman's disease.