Concomitant Primary Cerebral Lymphoma and Meningioma: Report of a Case and Review of Literature

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare cancer that confined to the brain, spinal cord, leptomeninges and eyes. The origin of this type of lymphoma is often type B lymphocytes, and because the central nervous system (CNS) has no lymph nodes or lymphatic vessels, the cause of PCNSL is still uncertain (1). But its source appears to be from lymphocytes located in the CNS (2). This type of lymphoma has been reported in the context of congenital or acquired immune deficiency such as Wiskott Aldrich syndrome, kidney transplantation, and in particular AIDS. (3). Frontal lobes are the most common site of involvement in CNS. Personality disorders and altered level of consciousness are the hallmarks of the disease (4), but rate of seizure is lower than other types of brain tumors (3). PCNSL has a rapid growth, with clinical symptoms appears few weeks to several months before the diagnosis. This disease can lead to death within one to three years without treatment. However, some studies have shown that if treated, 70% of the affected people can survive up to 5 years after the diagnosis (3). Meningiomas are often benign and slowly growing tumors that originate from the arachnoid cap cell of meninges. (4, 5). Meningioma is a highly prevalent tumor in CNS, but the primary brain lymphoma is a non-Hodgkin's subtype and rare tumor, and because of the heterogeneity and unreliability of these two types of tumors, their concurrency with it is also rare in one patient (6).