Hodgkin's lymphoma of the uterus presenting as refractory pelvic inflammatory disease. A case report

Abstract

Lymphoma rarely presents with initial involvement of the uterine corpus, though disseminated disease may well involve the pelvic organs secondarily. We treated a patient for Hodgkin's lymphoma presenting as pelvic serositis found at hysterectomy for refractory pelvic pain. Nodules consistent with Hodgkin's lymphoma were found within the uterine serosa and muscularis as well as throughout the uterine and tubal lymphatics, but no visible or palpable adenopathy was noted in the pelvis or abdomen or peripherally. Following surgery the patient developed signs and symptoms of widespread lymphoma, which developed fulminantly but responded well initially to standard chemotherapy. This is the first reported case of systemic Hodgkin's lymphoma presenting de novo in the uterine corpus and associated with clinical symptoms referable to the female reproductive tract.