Rituximab Monotherapy in the Management of a Rare Case ofan HIV Associated Lymphoproliferative Disorder

Castleman’s disease (CD), also known as angiofollicular node hyperplasia, is a rare heterogenous lymphoproliferativedisorder. This disease exists as two distinct entities: a localized or unicentric CD (UCD) which has a more benign clinical courseand multicentric CD (MCD) which is a systemic disease and carries a worse prognosis. MCD is often associated with humanimmunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and these patients are usually coinfected with human herpes virus-8 (HHV-8). Rituximabis an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody that has become integral to the management of this disease. It is used alone or in combinationwith chemotherapy to treat MCD.Case Report.We describe a case of a 58-year-old man with HIV and HHV-8 MCD and evidence oforgan failure with a poor performance status that went into complete remission after four cycles of therapy with weekly rituximab.Conclusion.HIV-MCD can be challenging to diagnose and to manage. Early recognition can reduce morbidity and mortalityassociated with the disease. Rituximab monotherapy can be used as a safe and effective treatment option in patients with a poorperformance status.