Surgery for Castleman Disease

Surgery is often used to get a tissue sample to diagnose Castleman disease (CD). A lymph node biopsy (described in Tests for Castleman Disease) is usually a minor procedure, and patients can often go home afterward.

Surgery also works well to treat localized (unicentric) CD. The type of surgery depends on where the disease is located.

If the affected lymph node or nodes are in a place that is easy to get to, such as in the armpit, then surgery is usually straightforward. In many cases the person may even be able to go home the same day after the surgery.

When the enlarged lymph nodes are in a place that is hard to get to, like deep in the chest or abdomen, surgery is more complex and might require a stay in the hospital for a few days after the operation.

Another option is to have radiation or treatment with chemotherapy or another drug first. This can shrink the lymph nodes or tumors, which can make them easier to remove with surgery.

Surgery might also be used to help treat symptoms rather than to try to cure the disease. For example, the spleen can be removed if it has grown large and is causing symptoms.

Potential side effects of surgery depend on several factors, including the extent of the operation and a person’s health before surgery. Most people will have at least some pain after the operation, but it usually can be controlled with medicines if needed. Other problems can include reactions to anesthesia, damage to nearby organs during the operation, bleeding, blood clots in the legs, and skin infections at the incision sites.

Even though Castleman disease is not a cancer, surgery is often used in much the same way as it is for cancer. You can read more in Cancer Surgery.

The American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team

Our team is made up of doctors and oncology certified nurses with deep knowledge of cancer care as well as journalists, editors, and translators with extensive experience in medical writing.

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Last Medical Review: January 20, 2017 Last Revised: February 5, 2018

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Treating Castleman Disease