[Lymphoma associated hemophagocytic syndrome with plasmacytosis in the bone marrow and hypergammaglobulinemia].

A 72-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of fever, anemia and thrombocytopenia in March 1997. Laboratory findings showed elevated serum LDH levels and polyclonal gammopathy. Bone marrow aspiration samples revealed hemophagocytosis and plasmacytosis. Although serum interleukin-6 was elevated, serum interferon-lambda and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were below detectable limits. Magnetic resonance images disclosed a tumor in the patient's pelvic cavity. The tumor was resected and diagnosed as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The patient was treated with combination chemotherapy and has remained in complete remission. Also, histiocyte and plasma cell counts in the bone marrow fell significantly and the serum interleukin-6 level returned to the normal range. We reasoned that lymphoma cells may have induced plasmacytosis in the bone marrow and polyclonal gammopathy accompanied by hemophagocytic syndrome.