[A clinical study on intrathoracic malignant lymphoma with chronic tuberculous pyothorax]

The authors reported 3 male patients of malignant lymphoma developing from long-standing pyothorax. They had been suffering from tuberculous pyothorax for more than 30 years, after artificial pneumothorax therapy for pulmonary tuberculosis. The most common symptom was chest pain. It was difficult to detect the tumor mass by chest X-ray because of old inflammatory changes. Computed tomography and 67Ga scintigraphy were useful. The lesions tended to grow destroying the surrounding lung, chest wall and ribs. Histologically, 2 cases were diffuse large cell type and one was diffuse intermediate sized cell type. Immunologically, 2 cases were B-cell type lymphoma but one was not clearly classified. They received radiotherapy, but 2 cases died of respiratory failure. These findings suggest that B cell lymphoma might arise following chronic tuberculous pyothorax. Therefore such cases should be followed up carefully.