[Recurrent Castleman's disease of the neck occurring in an infant]

Castleman's disease is a lympho-proliferative disease of unknown cause. This rare disease, usually localized, is benign and develops in the young adult. The predominant localization is mediastinal.

A 15 month-old infant was referred for a left latero-cervical mass that had developed since the age of 3 months. Other than this, the clinical examination was normal. Sonography, x-ray and tomodensitometry confirmed the unique nature of the lesion and the absence of loco-regional invasion. Histology following surgical exeresis found a nodule with multiple pseudo-follicular structures. These mitosis-rich structures were arranged concentrically around a vessel and were bordered by small lymphocytes forming a crown. This histological aspect corresponded to Castleman's disease in its vascular hyaline form. Local recurrence was reported twice, 2 and 8 years later and was treated each time with surgical exeresis. Histological examination was always similar to the first.

Castleman's disease has rarely been reported in infants. The cervical location, at whatever age, is far rarer than the mediastinal form. Supplementary examinations are not always of interest and basically provide information on the isolated or multicentric nature. Surgical exeresis was justified because of the diagnostic doubts and the risk of compression. Diagnosis is based on anatomopathology. Relapses have rarely been described in the literature and raise the question of the potential malignant transformation after several relapses.