Primary Central Nervous System T-Cell Lymphoma in Aids Patients: Case Report and Literature Review

Abstract

According to the published data, most primary central nervous system lymphomas (PCNSLS) are B-cell lymphomas; primary T-cell lymphomas are rare. In a search of the MEDLINE database, we found only 6 cases of primary T-cell PCNSL. Here, we present the case of a 43-year-old man with AIDS, not on highly active antiretroviral therapy, who presented with focal neurologic symptoms and was found on magnetic resonance imaging to have multiple brain lesions. A biopsy showed T-cell lymphoma, and the patient was subsequently treated with whole-brain radiation, to marked clinical response. Reported cases from the literature of primary T-cell PCNSL in AIDS patients are summarized in this review.