Concomitant occurrence of Richter transformation and lung cancer in patient with chronic lymphotic leukemia

Abstract

Development of systemic symptoms such as losing weight, fever or local symptoms such as rapidly growing organomegaly in a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) suggests transformation to high grade lymphoma known as Richter's syndrome. Similar symptoms can occur in case of second malignancy, which incidence in patients with CLL is 10–20% higher compared to normal population. Here we present a case of a 59-year-old patient who simultaneously developed transformation to Hodgkin's disease and non small cell lung cancer 2 years after CLL diagnosis. Clinical course, diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties in such case is discussed.