Development of malignant cerebral lymphoma in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus treated with immunosuppression

Abstract

Abstract A young woman with a clinical diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus was treated with corticosteroids and azathioprine. Within nine months, she died of a cerebral reticulum cell sarcoma. Previous reports of lymphoma in patients with systemic rheumatic or “autoimmune disease” and in homograft patients undergoing immunosuppression are discussed. A mechanism of recording cases of malignancy in systemic rheumatic disease occurring both with and without immunosuppression is advocated.