[Plasmablastic lymphoma of the gastrointestinal tract in AIDS patients]

The risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is 200 times higher in HIV-positive patients than otherwise healthy persons. Plasmablastic lymphoma (PL) represents < 3% of all NHL associated with HIV infection. The aim of this study was to review the clinical-pathologic features of PL of the gastrointestinal tract in 5 patients with HIV/aids disease. We performed a retrospective study of PL of the gastrointestinal tract diagnosed at the National Institute of Cancer at Mexico City, from 2000 to 2009. Clinical and pathological information was obtained and immunohistochemical studies were performed in paraffin-embedded tissue sections. The presence of Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) was examined by in situ polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Four male and 1 female were included with a median of age of 29 years. Three tumors involved the ano-rectal area, one tumor the ascendant colon and one tumor the stomach. All tumors were histologically characterized by a monotonous proliferation of large lymphoid cell with plasmablastic features. Tumor cells were CD 138 / MUM-1 positive and CD 20 / PAX-5 negative in all cases. EVB genome was detected by in situ PCR in 4 cases. The median of follow-up was 18 months, and revealed that three patients are alive with neoplasm disease and two patients are still alive with no evidence of the neoplasm. Recognition of this entity by pathologists and clinicians is important in order to establish the correct diagnosis and the early treatment of these patients.