Clinical Analysis of Castleman's Disease of the Neck: Report of 6 Cases / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

Castleman's disease is a rare, benign disease of unknown cause that induces reactive lymph node hyperplasia. Head and neck region is the second most affected area after the mediastinum. It has 2 histologic subtypes: hyaline vascular and plasma cellular. It is difficult to differentiate Castleman's disease from other diseases such as lymphoma, tuberculosis, metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma, Kaposi's sarcoma and Kimura's disease in the neck with CT. The study comprised of 6 patients with lymph node biopsy-proved Castleman disease and solitary involvement. One case favoring neurogenic tumor in MRI and another case with skin adhesion are confirmed histologically as Castleman's disease after surgery. A definitive diagnosis necessitates tissue biopsy. Surgery is the treatment of choice for the solitary form, whereas chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and steroids are proposed for the multicentric type. No recurrences have been reported after complete resection of the hyaline vascular type.