[Primary cerebral lymphoma of T phenotype in an immunocompetent patient]

Primary lymphoma of the central nervous system (PLCNS) makes up 1% of all intracranial tumours and 1% of all lymphomas [1]. It has been described in different types of immunodeficiencies, but in recent years has been increasingly found in immunocompetent persons. The LPSNC are usually B cell tumours, so the T phenotype is yet another rare aspect.

A 62-year-old man, smoker, BCO, presented with a clinical picture (for the previous month and a half) of holocranial headache, positive Valsalva manoeuvre, unsteadiness, tendence to retropulsion and difficulty in starting to walk. On physical examination there was deficient orientation in time and space, slight dysarthria, regressive reflexes and ataxia on walking. Cerebral CT scan and MR scans showed periventricular, thalamic and mesencephalic lesions with behaviour suggestive of a lymphoma. Neoplasia was confirmed on biopsy. Three months later, whilst on corticotherapy and holocranial radiotherapy, the patient died from intercurrent infection.

To date, including the present case, 51 cases of T lymphoma have been described in immunocompetent patients. Our case showed aspects described in the literature. These were: more often made [2], more often infratentorial [2-4] and of poor prognosis with regard to the degree of histological malignancy [5].