Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is one of the least common of the AIDS-related lymphomas, accounting for less than 1-4% of cases. Clinical manifestations depend on the extent and distribution of disease and, as in the majority of patients no detectable mass lesion is found, symptoms are related to fluid accumulation, dyspnoea (pleural or pericardial effusions), abdominal distension (ascites) or joint swelling. The median survival after diagnosis, even with aggressive chemotherapy, remains poor and remissions are often of short duration. We present the case of a 31-year-old man with AIDS and diagnosis of PEL, in whom sustained and complete remission of the tumour was achieved with adjunctive ganciclovir therapy. Since the disease is so uncommon, there is a paucity of data to guide the treatment of these patients; ganciclovir might be a potential antiviral therapeutic option, as demonstrated by the 2-year remission achieved in our patient.
2014 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.