Mantle cell lymphoma involvement of the pleura and tuberculous pleurisy with pulmonary tuberculosis: a case report and literature review

A 78-year-old Japanese woman was admitted to our hospital for fever, dry cough, and right pleural effusion. She was diagnosed with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) at 73 years of age and was treated with carcinostatics, but MCL was refractory. Chest computed tomography (CT) on admission revealed a localized trabecular shadow in the middle lobe of the right lung and right pleural effusion with thickened visceral pleura. Right pleural effusion was exudative, lymphocytes were dominant, and adenosine deaminase isoenzymes were elevated. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/CT revealed positive findings in the right thickened visceral pleura and right middle lobe. We suspected tuberculosis, but bronchoscopy revealed that the washing fluid was negative for Ziehl–Neelsen staining. Thoracoscopy under local anesthesia revealed redness on the parietal and visceral pleura and fibrin network. Pathological findings from pleural biopsy included granulomas, Langhans-type giant cells, and diffuse invasion of lymphocytes with atypical nuclei. Immunophenotypes were CD5+, CD10−, CD19+, CD20+, λ+, CD25+ by flow cytometry and CD20+, CD45RO−, cyclin D1+, bcl2+, bcl6− by immunohistochemistry. We diagnosed MCL involvement of the pleura, and highly suspected tuberculous pleurisy. The patient received antituberculosis therapy with rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol. After 4 weeks, culture of bronchoscopy washing fluid was positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis. Patients with malignant lymphoma are vulnerable to tuberculosis. In addition to diagnosing MCL involvement of the pleura, it is important to consider the possibility of complication with tuberculosis.