A case of castleman disease in the pelvic cavity

Abstract

A 52-year-old man complained of anorexia. Enhanced abdominal CT revealed a well-defined soft tissue tumor with calcification, 51×48mm in diameter, on the left side of the pelvic cavity. MR images revealed enlarged lymph nodes around the tumor. Tumor resection was performed, although we could not make a definite diagnosis preoperatively. The tumor had been present behind the left external iliac artery and vein. Extensive adhesion was demonstrated between the tumor and the left external iliac vein. The tumor could be separated, and was thus resected. The pathological diagnosis was plasma cell type Castleman disease. Castleman disease is a disorder of unknown cause characterized by a huge tumor involving lymph nodes. Castleman disease localized in the pelvic cavity is very rare. Only 11 such cases, including our present patient have been reported in Japan. We describe this case and review the relevant literature.