New Approaches for the Diagnosis of Lymphoma and Multicentric Castleman Disease

To address the need for new approaches to diagnose lymphoma and multicentric Castleman disease (MCD), investigators have developed an assay based on nucleic acid measurement that has the potential to be delivered at the point of clinical care. It has demonstrated the ability to detect Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) from fine needle aspirations (FNA) and from tumor cells using the Tiny Isothermal Nucleic acid Amplification System (TINY) device, employing primers for EBV-encoded small RNAs (EBER). The method takes advantage of the now well-established finding that Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV) is nearly entirely sensitive (though not specific) for the diagnosis of MCD.

Inclusion criteria

• Age ≥1 year old and body weight of ≥ 10 kg.
• HIV-infected.
• Unexplained lymphadenopathy with at least one lymph node ≥2 cm that is amenable to biopsy.
• Willing and able to give informed consent if the subject is 18 years of age or older, adolescent assent and legal guardian consent for subjects 15-17 years of age, pediatric assent and legal guardian consent for subjects 7-14 years of age, or legal guardian consent for pediatric subjects less than 7 years of age.

Exclusion criteria

• Cannot or is not willing to follow study procedures.
• Subjects with a previous history of cancer in the last five years with the exception of subjects with Kaposi sarcoma (i.e. history of Kaposi sarcoma is allowed in the study).