[Successful treatment with oral low-dose sobuzoxane and etoposide combined with rituximab in an elderly patient with HHV-8-negative primary effusion lymphoma-like lymphoma].

[primary effusion lymphoma]

Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL ) is a rare B-cell lymphoma , characterized by human herpes virus 8 (HHV 8 ) infection and serous effusions without detectable tumor masses . However , cases with HHV 8 unrelated PEL have also been reported , mainly in Japan , and these are referred to as PEL -like lymphoma (PEL -LL ). We describe a 70 -year -old man with cardiac comorbidity who developed PEL -LL with pleural effusion . The patient achieved a complete response (CR ) after treatment with oral low -dose sobuzoxane and etoposide combined with rituximab . To date , the patient has been in CR for about 7 months without chemotherapy . PEL -LL reportedly has a better prognosis than PEL . Because PEL -LL is positive for CD 2 0 , unlike PEL , combination therapy including rituximab may be effective . PEL -LL mainly affects elderly people , so that further investigation of tolerable and effective regimens is required .