Development of disseminated cryptococcosis during chemotherapy for plasmacytoma

• Published in: Rinshō ketsueki Vol. 60; no. 12; p. 1657
• Main Authors: Okahashi, Nozomi, Hoshino, Ei, Kubo, Masayuki, Hasegawa, Atsushi, Tanaka, Haruyuki, Amano, Itsuto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Japan 2019
• Subjects: Aged; Biopsy; Cryptococcosis; Humans; Intestine, Small; Male; Plasmacytoma - therapy; Positron-Emission Tomography; Gastrointestinal cryptococcosis; Disseminated cryptococcosis; Plasmacytoma
• ISSN: 0485-1439
• DOI: 10.11406/rinketsu.60.1657

A 71-year-old male developed plasmacytoma on September 2015. He received radiotherapy, followed by posterior spinal fusion, at Th5 and L3 and was subsequently administered lenalidomide plus dexamethasone (Ld) from January 2016. After the 9th course of Ld, the patient complained of epigastric discomfort and papules on the face. FDG-PET showed duodenum 3rd potion and indicated nodular lesions with high glucose uptake on the lower lobe of the right lung and third portion of the duodenum. Biopsy of the skin, duodenum, and lung revealed Grocott's stain positive circular bodies, and the patient was subsequently diagnosed with disseminated cryptococcosis. Although disseminated cryptococcosis often causes encephalomeningitis, gastrointestinal involvement is rarely reported. The underlying conditions of disseminated cryptococcosis include AIDS, hematological malignancies, and steroid and immunosuppressant use. The sites of infections are the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and colon. Disseminated cryptococcosis is diagnosed by abdominal pain, bloody stool, and gastrointestinal perforation. However, disseminated cryptococcosis may be asymptomatic; therefore, it is imperative that there is no delay in its diagnosis.