Castleman disease

It «is a rare disease of lymph nodes and related tissues. It was first described by Dr. Benjamin Castleman in the 1950s. It is also known as Castleman’s disease, giant lymph node hyperplasia, and angiofollicular lymph node hyperplasia (AFH). Castleman disease is not cancer. Instead, it is called a lymphoproliferative disorder. This means there is an abnormal overgrowth of cells of the lymph system that is similar in many ways to lymphomas (cancers of lymph nodes).

Even though Castleman disease is not officially cancer, one form of this disease (known as multicentric Castleman disease) acts very much like lymphoma. In fact, many people with this disease eventually develop lymphomas. And like lymphoma, Castleman disease is often treated with chemotherapy or radiation therapy.»

«Castleman disease is classified by how much of the body it affects. The main forms of Castleman disease are called localized and multicentric.»

«Infection with certain viruses plays a role in at least some cases of Castleman disease.

Multicentric Castleman disease is more common in people infected with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), (...). Doctors sometimes group patients with multicentric Castleman disease into those who are infected with HIV (HIV positive) and those who are not infected (HIV negative).

In recent years, it’s become clear that another virus, known as human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) or Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV), is often found in the lymph node cells of people with multicentric Castleman disease. In fact, HHV-8 is found in the lymph nodes of nearly all Castleman disease patients who are HIV positive. Some doctors have suggested classifying Castleman disease based on whether the cells contain HHV-8.»

Bibliographic reference: The American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team, 2018. What Is Castleman Disease? [online] Cancer.org. Available at: <https://www.cancer.org/cancer/castleman-disease/about/what-is-castleman-disease.html> [Accessed 4 October 2020].