Plasmablastic Lymphoma of Gingiva as Primary Oral Manifestation in Previously Undiagnosed HIV Patient – A Case Report

Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas are the third most common group of malignant lesions in the oral cavity and maxillofacial region. Most such lymphomas have been shown to be predominantly of B- cell lineage. Plasmablastic lymphoma of the oral cavity is an aggressive B-cell lymphoma associated with Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection and is classified as an individual nosological entity by the World Health Organization Classification of Tumours of Hematopoietic and Lymphoid Tissues. It clinically presents with a rapid growth and histologically shows a diffuse pattern with a high mitotic index. Based solely on clinical and microscopic features, separation of Plasmablastic lymphoma from other categories of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is very difficult. Therefore demonstration of distinguishing pattern of expression of immunohistochemical markers is an essential component of the diagnostic protocol. Hence we report a case of Plasmablastic Lymphoma in a healthy person with previously undiagnosed Human Immunodeficiency Virus.