A Patient with Splenomegaly and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Diagnosed with Lymphoma: A Case Report and Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is one such disease that sets tough challenges due to it being a multi-systemic autoimmune disorder with a wide spectrum of complications including increased risk of cancer incidence among affected patients. The latest research claims that the lymphoma incidence in SLE patients can be up to 4 to 7 times higher than the lymphoma incidence in the general population. This heightened risk marks the importance of strict screening and management, as the mechanism behind this risk is still not fully understood. Hence, this section explores a clinical scenario and relevant literature addressing the complex relationship between SLE and lymphoma. Here, our case is of a 53-year-old male who had recently been diagnosed with SLE and, at the same time had abdominal pain and distention with the diagnosis of lymphoma being made after serials of investigations. This case teaches us that lymphoma must be included in the differential diagnoses of SLE patients with abdominal symptoms. With the ever-changing knowledge about the basic mechanisms of SLE and appropriate screening techniques, our attention to cancer risk in SLE patients should be increased to achieve better clinical outcomes.