Primary pulmonary lymphoma in children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Oncology
• Hematology
• Pulmonology

Background:

• Primary pulmonary lymphoma (PPL) is an exceptionally rare malignancy, particularly in pediatric populations.
• Understanding the clinical presentation and diagnostic markers of PPL in children is crucial due to its rarity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the clinical features of PPL in four pediatric patients.
• To enhance the understanding and diagnostic approach to PPL in children.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective case series analysis of four pediatric patients diagnosed with PPL.
• Review of clinical presentations, laboratory findings, and imaging results (chest computed tomography).
• Genetic analysis for primary immunodeficiency in relevant cases.

Main Results:

• Four pediatric PPL cases were identified: three diffuse large B-cell lymphomas and one natural killer-T cell lymphoma.
• Common symptoms included prolonged fever, cough, weight loss, and fatigue.
• Radiological findings consistently showed pulmonary nodules with halo signs and air bronchograms on CT scans.
• Two patients were diagnosed with primary immunodeficiency, suggesting a potential link.

Conclusions:

• PPL should be considered in pediatric patients presenting with persistent fever, elevated C-reactive protein, altered white blood cell counts, and characteristic pulmonary nodules on CT.
• The co-existence of primary immunodeficiency warrants further investigation in children diagnosed with PPL.