Primary leptomeningeal T-cell lymphoma: a case and a review of primary T-cell lymphoma of the central nervous system.

A case of primary leptomeningeal T-cell lymphoma of pleomorphic large cell type is presented. The lymphoma, which was first diagnosed at autopsy, occurred in a 67-year-old man, who had no personal or family history of immunodeficiency disorders. Review of the literature reveals only 13 immunocytochemically well-documented cases of primary T-cell lymphoma in the CNS. In five of these cases the lymphoma was apparently confined to the leptomeninges. The relatively high frequency of leptomeningeal presentation may indicate that this tumor form is more common with primary T-cell lymphoma of the CNS than with B-cell neoplasms.