Castleman disease is a rare illness that affects your lymph nodes and other immune-cell structures of your body. It’s classified as a lymphoproliferative disorder, which means it involves a proliferation, or overgrowth, of lymphatic cells. This makes it similar in many ways to cancers of the lymphatic system (lymphomas), which are also characterized by cell overgrowth. Castleman disease isn’t considered a cancer, though. The disease is named after the American pathologist who first described it in the 1950s. Other names for Castleman disease are giant lymph node hyperplasia and angiofollicular lymph node hyperplasia. Castleman disease can occur in a localized or a more widespread form. Treatment and outlook depend on which type of Castleman disease you have.
Dr. David Fajgenbaum shares his thoughts on the current status of Castleman Disease research and resources for patients at an ASH meeting for physicians and researchers. The Castleman Disease Collaborative Network (CDCN) hosted “Accelerating Research & Treatment for Castleman Disease” on December 6, 2014 in San Francisco, CA. Learn more at www.castlemannetwork.org.