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Unique association of Waldenström macroglobulinemia with optic neuritis and monoclonal T cell expansion

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Abstract

Waldenström macroglobulinemia is a lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma characterized by production of the immunoglobulin M (IgM) monoclonal protein. Commonly involved sites are the bone marrow, lymph nodes, and spleen. Lymphoplasmacytic infiltration of the central nervous system (CNS), in contrast, is referred to as Bing–Neel syndrome, and is an extremely rare phenomenon. Here, we present a unique case of Waldenström macroglobulinemia with optic neuritis accompanied by monoclonal expansion of T cells, which recovered after administration of CNS-targeting chemotherapy. Although the underlying causal relationships in this case remain obscure, aberrantly expanded T cells may have contributed to the development of optic neuritis, and we should be reminded that some types of cranial neuropathy in Waldenström macroglobulinemia may be reversible.

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The authors have no conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Hematology and Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan

    Ken Morita, Akihide Yoshimi, Akiko Masuda, Motoshi Ichikawa & Mineo Kurokawa

  2. Department of Cell Therapy and Transplantation, The University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan

    Akihide Yoshimi & Mineo Kurokawa

  3. Department of Clinical Laboratory, The University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan

    Akiko Masuda & Yutaka Yatomi

Authors
  1. Ken Morita
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  2. Akihide Yoshimi
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  3. Akiko Masuda
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  4. Motoshi Ichikawa
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  5. Yutaka Yatomi
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  6. Mineo Kurokawa
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mineo Kurokawa.

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Morita, K., Yoshimi, A., Masuda, A. et al. Unique association of Waldenström macroglobulinemia with optic neuritis and monoclonal T cell expansion. Int J Hematol 98, 247–249 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12185-013-1372-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12185-013-1372-2

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