A case of follicular lymphoma with onset of chylothorax

We report a case of follicular lymphoma with chylothorax. A 45-year-old man visited our hospital complaining of shortness of breath and abdominal distension. Chest X-rays showed bilateral pleural effusion, and an abdominal CT scan revealed a large intraperitoneal tumor around the abdominal aorta and pancreas. Bilateral cervical and inguinal lymph nodes were swollen. Biochemical study of the pleural fluid revealed the presence of chylomicrons, and an inguinal lymph node biopsy led to a follicular lymphoma diagnosis. The patient achieved complete remission, with disappearance of pleural effusion, following 8 cycles of chemothreapy (R-CHOP). Cases of malignant lymphoma with chylothorax are rarely reported in Japan, but should be taken into account when examining cases of non-traumatic chylothorax.