Chylothorax: The Unusual Suspect

• Main Authors: Anusha C. Madhusoodan, Gajanan S. Gaude
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc. 2019-07-01
• Series: Asian Journal of Oncology
• Subjects: chylothorax; follicular; lymphatics; non-hodgkin’s lymphoma
• Online Access: http://www.thieme-connect.de/DOI/DOI?10.1055/s-0039-3400836

A chylothorax results when the lymphatic duct becomes disrupted. It is an uncommon and poorly described complication of both Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas of any histological type and grade. A 62-year-old female presented with dyspnea on exertion and dry cough for 15 days. Chest radiograph showed left-sided effusion. Pleural fluid reports were suggestive of chylothorax. Fluid was drained and CT thorax was performed which revealed multiple supra- and infradiaphragmatic lymphadenopathy. Left supraclavicular lymph node biopsy revealed chronic inflammation. Immunohistochemistry of the same sample was reported as non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma of follicular type grade I/III (2008). Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) showed hypermetabolic areas in supra- and infradiaphragmatic lymph nodes and also in multiple bones (with surrounding regions encasement). Patient has received two cycles of chemotherapy with Bendamustine and Rituximab. She is on regular follow-up with the oncologist and doing fine.