Other names of the disease

• Angiofollicular Lymph Node Hyperplasia
• Angiomatous Lymphoid
• Castleman Tumor
• Giant Benign Lymphoma
• Hamartoma of the Lymphatics
• Giant Lymph Node Hyperplasia

It is a rare disorder which is charecterized by non cancerous, beningn growths which develop in th lymphnode tissue throughout the body. It occur commonly in chest, stomach, neck. Less common sites are arm pit,pelvis and pancreas. The growth represent abnormal enlargement of the lumphnodes normalyy found on all thesse areas.

There are two types

• Hyaline-vascular type.
• Plasma cell type.

The hyaline vascular type accountsd for approximately 90 percent of the cases. Most individual exhibit no symptoms in this type or they can develop non-cancerous growths in the lymphnodes.

The plasma cell type is associated with fever, weight loss, skin rash, early destruction of red blood cells, leading to low levels of circulating red blood cells and/or with or with out increased amounts of certain immune factos in the blood.

Ther are also the third variety described which is called as multicentric or generalized castleman's disease whcih affects more than one area of the body. It also causes abnormally large liver and spleen.