Concomitant Diagnosis of Plasmablastic Lymphoma and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Rare Phenomenon

Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is a rare, aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma which shows blastic morphology and an immunophenotype of plasma cell differentiation while chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)/small lymphocytic lymphoma is an indolent B-cell lymphoma and has a variable clinical course. A CLL transforming into a PBL and the coexistence of CLL with PBL are both extremely rare findings. We report an unusual case of a 72-year-old HIV-negative male who presented with a gingival swelling which was diagnosed as PBL with simultaneous CLL in the blood and bone marrow. Further, in this case, the PBL spontaneously regressed postbiopsy adding to the peculiarity and rarity of this case. This could be due to immune system modulation and can open up a new window to the treatment strategies of PBL in the future.