Unlock the Cell: Castleman's Disease Flow Cytometry Study

This is a University of Pennsylvania-sponsored project that is supported by the Castleman Disease Collaborative Network and the patients/loved one's group Castleman's Warriors (Castleman's Awareness and Research Effort).

Castleman Disease (CD) is a rare and poorly understood lymphoproliferative disease. The multicentric CD subtype (MCD) involves enlarged lymph nodes in multiple regions of the body and can be fatal if untreated. MCD patients demonstrate acute inflammatory crisis due to upregulation of inflammatory agents most notably IL-6 and VEGF followed by multiple organ failure and death.

Unlock the Cell aims to identify the pathways the disease takes through flow cytometry studies. The purpose of the CD Research study is to collect blood samples and/or buccal swabs or saliva samples and medical information of MCD patients and compare them to control samples so researchers can understand the causes of MCD, and design treatments based on our findings.

In this study, the investigators will analyze inflammatory markers, cells, and signaling pathways in prospectively collected blood samples using biochemical and RT-PCR techniques, proteomics, genomics, immunohistochemistry, storage for future use, cell culture treated with external stimuli, flow cytometry, and other molecular tests. A secondary aim is to collect excess stored tissue samples (e.g., lymph node, bone marrow) from previous procedures and store these samples along with unused blood samples for future research purposes to be performed at the University of Pennsylvania or shared with other Castleman disease researchers and biobanks.

Inclusion criteria

• CD patients: Individuals of any age who are diagnosed with or suspected by a physician to have CD, including those who do have the ability to consent and those who lack the ability to consent
• Related Disease: Individuals who state that they have a disease that is a "Related Disease". "Related Disease" means autoimmune, oncology, inflammatory/lymphoproliferative disorders and infectious diseases that are similar to Castleman
• Healthy Individuals: Individuals without a history of auto-immune, inflammatory, infectious disease or oncologic disorders.

Exclusion criteria

• All individuals whose medical or psychological conditions (such as a mental handicap) would, in the opinion of the Principal Investigator, compromise the subject's safety or successful participation in the study.