[Optic neuritis in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma]

Optic neuropathy during non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a late central nervous system complication of unfavourable prognosis. It appears especially with involvement of the bone marrow. A normal cerebrospinal fluid, lack of any beneficial effect of the chemo-corticotherapy and absence of papilledema suggest paraneoplastic, or iatrogenic (radio and (or) chemotherapeutic) neuropathy with conclusive histopathological proof only at autopsy. More frequently, cerebrospinal fluid containing malignant cells, papilledema and a beneficial effect of the chemocortico-therapy suggests malignant infiltration of the optic nerve as occurs in our case. Optic neuropathy during non-Hodgkin lymphoma may exceptionally precede the systemic disease by several years. Early oculomotor involvement suggests meningeal malignant infiltration as found in meningeal carcinomatosis.