CD20-positive plasmablastic lymphoma with excellent response to bortezomib combined with rituximab.

As a distinct type of aggressive mature large B-cell lymphoma, plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) poses diagnostic and treatment challenges. PBL is distinguished from other B-cell lymphomas by the presence of plasmacytic differentiation markers such as CD38, CD138, and MUM1. Clinically, PBLs from oral and extra-oral sites are rapidly progressive tumors with frequent relapse after treatment with standard diffuse large B-cell lymphoma regimens. Here, we report a near-complete response of one patient with relapsed PBL following treatment with a non-cytotoxic regimen containing bortezomib, rituximab, and dexamethasone.