Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in HIV-associated plasmablastic lymphoma: a case report

Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is a disease that was originally described in 1997 as a distinct subtype of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), which is more common in patients with HIV infection. It is characterized by extranodal lesions, the most common of which are the oral cavity, digestive tract, and skin3. No generally accepted chemotherapy protocol for the treatment of HIV-associated PBL has been developed. Early consolidation through autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT) may be a treatment option for advanced patients with concurrent use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Disease history. Patient B., 44 years old, with HIV-associated PBL-IV-stage according to AnnArbor with lesions of the alveolar process of the upper jaw, lymph nodes of the neck on the left, bronchopulmonary lymph nodes, and the lower lobe of the right lung, who after 6 courses of chemotherapy according to the standard CHOP regimen, autotransplantation of hematopoietic stem cells was performed in the first remission. Conclusion. Our clinical experience correlates with the few studies on this issue. The patient received stem cell-supported high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) and his life expectancy is 36 months. Keywords: plasmablastic lymphoma, HIV-associated lymphomas, autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.