[Castleman's disease, plasma-cellular variety: unusual finding in our specialty]

Castleman's disease is a disorder of the lymph tissue, of undetermined etiology and with preferentially mediastinal location, although other lymphatic and extra-lymphatic locations are also possible. This entry appears under two varieties: the most frequent, hyalovascular type which generally does not have associated systemic symptoms, and the plasmocellular type associated to multisystemic symptoms in up to 50% cases, such as fever, anaemia, hypergammaglobulinemia, etc. Additional examinations beyond those usually available are not enough to establish a certainty diagnosis against other types of tumours, so an histopathological study is required prior to arrive to this definite diagnosis. Surgery is the choice therapy, although sometimes a favourable response to radiotherapy, used as alternating or adjuvant therapy, can be obtained. Corticoid therapy can be an effective option when dealing with systemic symptoms. The paper submits one case of Castleman's disease of the hyalinovascular type with retroperitoneal location which forced us to establish a differential diagnosis with other disorders in that region more frequent in our specialty. Definite clinical diagnosis was not possible surgery was chosen and the entire lesion removed. As certainty diagnosis was therefore histologic and, up to this point, the patient has shown no signs or symptoms of relapsing.