Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder presenting as CD20-negative plasmablastic lymphoma in the lung

Abstract

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) are a serious complication of transplantation with a high mortality. Most PTLD present within the first year of transplantation and are associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) is a rare but aggressive disease originally described in patients with HIV, presenting most commonly in the jaw and oral mucosa. To our knowledge, this is the first case of PBL presenting as PTLD of the lung in a HIV and EBV negative patient. Given the increasing number of transplants performed, we would like to share this uncommon presentation of PTLD as PBL.