Isolated subcutaneous cryptococcal abscess after a BEACOPP regimen for Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Excerpt

A 16-year-old girl from Kenya presented in March 2002 with weight loss, fatigue, night sweats, backache, and a left-sided limping gait of 4 months’ duration. Radiological investigations included computed tomography scans of the chest and abdomen, which showed large mediastinal, retroperitoneal and hilar lymphadenopathy, pulmonary infiltrates, and hepatosplenomegaly. Magnetic resonance imaging of the spine revealed an infiltration of the third lumbar vertebra with involvement of the posterior wall. Laboratory evaluation revealed discrete leukopenia of 3.5 g/l with a normal differential leukocyte count. HIV serology was negative. A cervical adenopathy biopsy was positive for mixed cellularity Hodgkin’s disease (HD), and a bone marrow biopsy showed diffuse infiltration with Hodgkin cells. On the basis of these findings, the diagnosis of advanced stage IVB HD was made in accordance with the Ann Harbor lymphoma classification system. …