Vol.23 No.4

Case Report

Angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma in an ankylosing spondylitis patient treated with etanercept

Authors

Kyong-Hee Jung1 , Mie Jin Lim1 , Seong Ryul Kwon1 , Ko Woon Joo1 , Hyeon Gyu Yi2 , Suk Jin Choi3 , Won Park1

  • Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Inha University Hospital, Jung-Gu, Incheon, 400-711, Republic of Korea
  • Division of Hemato/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Inha University Hospital, Incheon, Republic of Korea
  • Department of Pathology, Inha University Hospital, Incheon, Republic of Korea
Received:

10 April 2012

Accepted:

18 June 2012

Published online:

12 July 2012

Full Text

PDF　(member's only)

Abstract

Angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma (AITL) is a rare non-Hodgkin lymphoma that presents with profound immune dysfunction and immunodeficiency. The clinical and laboratory findings associated with AITL are similar to those of rheumatic disease, and AITL has been reported to be concurrent in patients with several rheumatic diseases. We present one case of AITL occurring in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) after treatment with etanercept. Constitutional symptoms and aggravation of peripheral arthritis in elderly AS patients may be due not only to flare-ups of AS but also to other complicating diseases, such as lymphoma. Although the occurrence of lymphoma in AS patients treated with etanercept has only rarely been reported, clinicians should keep in mind that instances of aggravation of peripheral arthritis in elderly AS patients occurring after immunosuppressant treatment may be due to other complicating systemic diseases such as AITL, rather than the rheumatic disease itself. Further study is needed in order to investigate whether or not using a TNF-a blocker such as etanercept increases the risk of lymphoma, especially for cases associated with Epstein? Barr virus.

Key words

Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, Ankylosing spondylitis, Etanercept