UNEXPECTED LYMPHOMA IN AN EXPECTANT WOMAN REVEALED BY CARDIAC TAMPONADE

Primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL) is a distinct entity within B-cell lymphoma (2?4% of non-Hodgkin lymphomas). It occurs most frequently in young females but rarely during pregnancy. Moreover, a cardiac tamponnade is unusually found in pregnant women. We describe a case of a 32-year-old woman, 16-week pregnant, with cardiac tamponade revealing PMBCL, where Urgent pericardiocentesis was required to maintain maternal cardiac function. Chest-computed tomography revealed a huge mediastinal mass whose biopsy confirms the diagnosis of a PMBCL. Spectacular improvement of clinical signs was obtained after a first line chemotherapy including rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) Our patient received the entire chemotherapy during her pregnancy with a regular multidisciplinary follow up. PMBCL can expose pregnant women to cardiac tamponade, and physicians should be aware of this complication mainly when pericardiocentesis is necessary.