Abstract
The patient was a 73-year-old woman who had undergone mastectomy with a diagnosis of breast cancer (T1N1, StageII) in October 2002. Periodic follow-up abdominal CT scan performed in March 2005 incidentally revealed an abdominal tumor. The tumor was 40×30 mm in diameter and had a comparatively homogeneous inner portion with linear enhancement effect partly. Based on the CT findings, malignant lymphoma or GIST was likely. Gallium scintigraphy revealed no accumulation to the tumor. Another CT scan performed 2 months later showed the tumor which had shrunk to 38×20 mm in diameter. Although a possibility of malignant disease could be ruled out from her clinical course and imaging findings, the tumor was removed under laparotomy in May 2005 in response to her and her family's desire. Upon laparotomy, the tumor was found to have arisen from the transverse mesocolon and was adherent to the surroundings, but the tumor was able to be removed without performing intestinal resection. Histopathologically the tumor had structure of lymph node, there were hyalinization of the surrounding connective tissue and remarkable hyperplasia of lymphatic follicle, and partially hyaline vessels were present as they penetrated the germinal center and the surrounding mantle zone. Castleman's disease of hyaline-vascular type was diagnosed. There have been no signs of recurrence, as of six years after the operation.
