Familial Primary Intracranial Malignant Lymphoma

Abstract

A 76-year-old female developed depression and loss of appetite. On admission, in June of 1987, she was disoriented. Computed tomography (CT) revealed enhanced masses without perifocal edema in the cerebellar vermis and left occipital lobe. The cerebellar tumor was subtotally removed through a suboccipital craniectomy. Histological examination disclosed malignant lymphoma of the diffuse, large cell type. The patient underwent postoperative irradiation, and no other tumors were detected by whole-body CT or gallium scans. Her 51-year-old son had been admitted to another hospital in April of 1987, with complaints of depression and change in mental status. Neurological examination revealed right hemiparesis, and CT demonstrated an enhanced left frontal paraventricular mass and severe perifocal edema. The histological diagnosis was malignant lymphoma, and the patient received postoperative irradiation and chemotherapy. A few cases of familial extracranial malignant lymphoma have been described. However, to the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported occurrence of familial primary intracranial malignant lymphoma.