The relationship between infliximab treatment and lymphoma in Crohn's disease

Gastroenterology. 1999 Dec;117(6):1433-7. doi: 10.1016/s0016-5085(99)70294-5.

Abstract

The relationship between chronic inflammatory conditions and malignancy is complex. We describe the clinical course of 2 patients with Crohn's disease (CD) in whom lymphoma was diagnosed after treatment with infliximab. The first patient was a 61-year-old man with a 30-year history of fistulizing CD in whom B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was diagnosed 9 months after treatment with infliximab. The second is a 29-year-old man with CD in whom nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's lymphoma was diagnosed 3 weeks after infusion with infliximab. The lymphoma presented with pleural effusions, mediastinal and cervical adenopathy, and no gastrointestinal lesion. We describe the implications of these cases for the use of immunomodulatory therapy in CD and the questionable association between CD and lymphoma.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / adverse effects*
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / therapeutic use
  • Crohn Disease / complications*
  • Crohn Disease / drug therapy
  • Gastrointestinal Agents / adverse effects*
  • Gastrointestinal Agents / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Infliximab
  • Lymphoma / chemically induced*
  • Lymphoma / complications
  • Male
  • Middle Aged

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Gastrointestinal Agents
  • Infliximab