1989 Volume 30 Issue 3 Pages 338-342
A 58-year old male was admitted to Osaka City University Hospital because of diplopia in May, 1987. Hematological examinations revealed abnormal blastoid cells in his peripheral blood and bone marrow. We found many mitochondrias and polysomes in the cytoplasm of the blastoid cells by the electron microscopy. Moreover, left axillar lymphnode biopsy specimen disclosed the typical “starry sky” pattern. The blastoid cells in the bone marrow had chromosomal abnormality; 47XY, 8q-, 14q+, 22q-, +mar. Therefore, the diagnosis of Burkitt's lymphoma (leukemic change) was performed.
He was treated with chemotherapy, but the blastoid cells resisted many anticancer agents and he died in September 30.
On admission left ocular motor disturbance was revealed. Generally, it was reported that meningitis with CNS involvement of lymphoma is acompanied by cranial nerves pulsy. However in this case lymphoma cells was not found in the cerebrospinal fluid. The cause of ocular motor disturbance was the adhesion to the medial rectus muscle and compression to the ocular motor nerves of the lymphoma mass.
