Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma presenting as a sacral tumor

Primary lymphomas of the sacrum are rare tumors, reported only in a few cases in the literature. The authors describe two patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphomas presenting as a sacral tumor. In the first case a 52-year-old man presented with progressive back pain, bilateral radicular pain, and saddle block anesthesia secondary to a lytic, expansile soft-tissue mass. The mass arose from the sacrum and eroded through the right S-1 to S-4 foramina and extended into the epidural space of the spinal canal. On magnetic resonance imaging, the sacral mass enhanced homogeneously with Gd. In the second case a 64-year-old man presented with left-sided radicular pain, paresthesias, and progressive weakness due to a lytic soft-tissue mass in the left sacral ala extending into the left L-5 and S-1 foramina. Metastatic workup in each patient demonstrated unremarkable findings. In both cases, an open biopsy procedure was performed after nondiagnostic examination of needle biopsy samples. Histopathological examination showed evidence consistent with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in both patients. In the first case the disease was classified as Stage IAE, and the patient subsequently underwent four cycles of cyclophosphamide/doxorubicin/vincristine/prednisone (CHOP)– and rituximab-based chemotherapy followed by consolidation radiotherapy. In the second case the disease was also classified as Stage IAE, and the patient underwent CHOP-based chemotherapy and consolidation radiotherapy. In both cases radiography demonstrated a decrease in size of the sacral lymphomas. The authors review the clinical, radiological, and histological features of sacral lymphomas. Lymphoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of sacral tumors.