An Autopsy Case of Epstein-Barr Virus–Associated Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma of the Central Nervous System in an Immunocompromised Host

Abstract

Lymphomas arising in the central nervous system (CNS) of immunocompromised hosts are most commonly non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas and are highly associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Here we report an autopsy case of EBV-associated CNS diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in a host suffering from systemic lupus erythematosus who underwent immunosuppressive therapy. After autopsy, EBV-associated CNS DLBCL as well as pulmonary mixed aspergillosis and Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia were added to the cause of clinical manifestations of complicated pneumonia and cerebral hemorrhage in this immunocompromised patient. In conclusion, complex disease processes were revealed by autopsy in this case, indicating that the clinicopathological correlations observed through autopsy can improve our understanding of disease progression and contribute to the management of similar patients in the future.

Keywords

• Autopsy
• Central nervous system
• Lymphoma
• Epstein-Barr virus
• Immunocompromised host