Atypical Primary Central Nervous SystemPost ‑Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71749/pkj.70Palavras-chave:
Epstein‑Barr Virus Infections, Kidney Transplantation/adverse effects, Lymphoproliferative Disorders, Post‑operative ComplicationsResumo
Post‑transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a serious complication following kidney transplantation, with Epstein‑Barr virus (EBV) infection being a major risk factor. Central nervous system (CNS) involvement occurs in 5%‑30% of cases, but primary CNS‑PTLD is rare and has a poor prognosis. We report two cases of primary CNS‑PTLD in kidney transplant recipients with atypical presentation. The first case involved a 42‑year‑old female who presented with vertigo 22 years post‑transplant. The second case was a 70‑year‑old male who exhibited abnormal gait 2 years after transplantation. They were initially misdiagnosed, respectively, as vestibular neuritis and stroke. Imaging studies revealed an isolated cerebellar lesion in both cases; diffuse large B‑cell lymphoma was unveiled on the biopsies. The first case was EBV‑related and its management included immunosuppression reduction, surgical resection, and radiotherapy. Both patients ultimately died from infectious complications. These cases highlight the diagnostic challenges and poor out‑comes associated with primary CNS‑PTLD, even with treatment. The variable latency periods, atypical focal cerebellar involvement, and differing EBV status underscore the heterogeneity of this rare entity. Further research is needed to establish optimal diagnostic and treatment protocols for primary CNS‑PTLD in kidney transplant recipients.
Downloads
Referências
- Al-Adra D, Al-Qaoud T, Fowler K, Wong G. De Novo Malignancies after Kidney Transplantation. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2022 Mar;17(3):434-443. doi: 10.2215/CJN.14570920.
- Sprangers B, Riella LV, Dierickx D. Posttransplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder Following Kidney Transplantation: A Review. Am J Kidney Dis. 2021 Aug;78(2):272-281. doi: 10.1053/j.ajkd.2021.01.015.
- Mahale P, Shiels MS, Lynch CF, Engels EA. Incidence and outcomes of primary central nervous system lymphoma in solid organ transplant recipients. Am J Transplant. 2018 Feb;18(2):453-461. doi: 10.1111/ajt.14465.
- Xu H, Rewerska J, Aardsma N, Slavin K, Valyi-Nagy T, Ni H. EBV-positive post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder presenting as primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the central nervous system. Folia Neuropathol. 2017;55(3):221-226. doi: 10.5114/fn.2017.70487.
- Sola-Valls N, Rodríguez C NY, Arcal C, et al. Primary brain lymphomas after kidney transplantation: an under-recognized problem? J Nephrol. 2014 Feb;27(1):95-102. doi: 10.1007/s40620-013-0026-z.
- Hoyt D, Hughes J, Liu J, Ayyad H. Primary central nervous system post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorder: A case report and systematic review of imaging findings. Radiol Case Rep. 2024 Mar 13;19(6):2168-2182. doi: 10.1016/j.radcr.2024.02.030.
- Evens AM, Choquet S, Kroll-Desrosiers AR, et al. Primary CNS posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD): an international report of 84 cases in the modern era. Am J Transplant 2013;13:1512–22. doi: 10.1111/ajt.12211.
- Dierickx D, Habermann TM. Post-Transplantation Lymphoproliferative Disorders in Adults. N Engl J Med. 2018 Feb 8;378(6):549-562. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra1702693.
- Kirk AD, Cherikh WS, Ring M, et al. Dissociation of depletional induction and posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease in kidney recipients treated with alemtuzumab. Am J Transplant. 2007;7:2619-2625. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-6143.2007.01972.x.
- Attieh RM, Wadei HM, Mao MA, et al. The impact of induction therapy on the risk of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder in adult kidney transplant recipients with donor-recipient serological Epstein-Barr virus mismatch. Am J Transplant. 2024 Aug;24(8):1486-1494. doi: 10.1016/j.ajt.2024.02.028.
- White ML, Moore DW, Zhang Y, Mark KD, Greiner TC, Bierman PJ. Primary central nervous system post ‑transplant lymphoproliferative disorders: the spectrum of imaging appearances and differential. Insights Imaging. 2019;10:46. doi: 10.1186/s13244‑019‑0726‑6.
- Imafuku A, Tanaka K, Marui Y, et al. Primary Central Nervous System Post-transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder Diagnosed by Peripheral Facial Nerve Palsy. Intern Med. 2018 Jul 1;57(13):1899-1903. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.9613-17.
- Song H, Guja KE, Iagaru A. 18F‑FDG PET/CT for Evaluation of Post‑Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder (PTLD). Semin Nucl Med. 2021;51:392‑403. doi: 10.1053/j.semnuclmed.2020.12.009.
- Amengual JE, Pro B. How I treat posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder. Blood. 2023 Oct 26;142(17):1426-1437. doi: 10.1182/blood.2023020075.
- Anastasiou M, Mamez AC, Masouridi S, Vargas MI, Hadaya K, Egervari K, Chalandon Y. Successful treatment of central nervous system lymphoproliferative disorder in a kidney-pancreas and stem cell transplanted patient using intrathecal rituximab. BMJ Case Rep. 2021 Aug 5;14(8):e238236. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2020-238236.
- Mahadeo KM, Baiocchi R, Beitinjaneh A, et al. Tabelecleucel for allogeneic haematopoietic stem-cell or solid organ transplant recipients with Epstein-Barr virus-positive post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease after failure of rituximab or rituximab and chemotherapy (ALLELE): a phase 3, multicentre, open-label trial. Lancet Oncol. 2024 Mar;25(3):376-387. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(23)00649-6.
Downloads
Publicado
Declaração de Disponibilidade de Dados Científicos
All research data is available in the manuscript.
Edição
Secção
Licença
Direitos de Autor (c) 2025 Gonçalo Pimenta, Ana Cristina Martins, Luís Leite de Sousa, Tiago J Carvalho, Martinha Chorão, André Weigert (Author)

Este trabalho encontra-se publicado com a Licença Internacional Creative Commons Atribuição-NãoComercial 4.0.