Cyclic autoimmune hemolytic anemia as a presenting manifestation of splenic Hodgkin's disease

The case report of a 52-year-old woman with an eight-year history of cyclic autoimmune hemolytic anemia and progressive splenic enlargement is presented. At laparotomy the enlarged spleen and splenic hilar lymph nodes showed lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin's disease. No specific antitumor treatment was given and three years following splenectomy the patient is in excellent health and has not experienced any new hemolytic episodes. The patient illustrates the association between Hodgkin's disease and autoimmune hemolytic anemia as well as the extreme variation in the clinical picture of the disease.