Asbestos Exposure and Primary Pleural Lymphoma

Abstract

Pleural involvement in systemic lymphoma is common but primary pleural lymphomas are very rare. Current literature describes two types; the primary effusion lymphoma of patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the pleural lymphoma of patients with tuberculosis. We report a case of primary pleural large B cell lymphoma in a 77 year old gentleman. He was a lifelong non-smoker with no history of tuberculosis or HIV infection, but significant exposure to asbestos. Our case highlights an increasing association in the literature between primary pleural lymphoma and asbestos exposure. It provides a novel insight into the pathogenesis of primary pleural lymphoma and provides an important differential diagnosis for asbestos related pleural mesothelioma.