# An Autopsy Case of Bronchiolitis Obliterans Associated With Oral Lichen Planus and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

**Authors:** Kenji Kurashina, Satoshi Hokari, Takeshi Koizumi, Satoshi Shibata, Katsuhiro Tomiyama, Hideki Hashidate, Hiroki Tsukada, Toshiaki Kikuchi

PMC · DOI: 10.7759/cureus.81048 · 2025-03-23

## TL;DR

A rare case is described where a woman with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and oral lichen planus developed bronchiolitis obliterans, leading to respiratory failure.

## Contribution

The paper presents a rare clinical association between bronchiolitis obliterans, oral lichen planus, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

## Key findings

- The patient had bronchiolitis obliterans confirmed at autopsy.
- Oral lichen planus and NHL recurrence were also found.
- This combination of conditions is uncommon and clinically significant.

## Abstract

We report the autopsy case of a 66-year-old woman with indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) who underwent repeated chemotherapy for 18 years. Two and a half years ago, she developed oral lichen planus and began corticosteroid treatment. Lichen planus recurred repeatedly with corticosteroid reduction. Obstructive ventilation impairment and respiratory failure had progressed two years ago. She was admitted to the hospital due to cytomegalovirus infection and died of respiratory failure. An autopsy revealed bronchiolitis obliterans, oral lichen planus, and recurrence of pre-existing NHL. This was a rare case of bronchiolitis obliterans with oral lichen planus and NHL.

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** non-Hodgkin lymphoma (MONDO:0018908), oral lichen planus (MONDO:0043923), bronchiolitis obliterans (MONDO:0015265), cytomegalovirus infection (MONDO:0005132), respiratory failure (MONDO:0021113)

## Full-text entities

- **Diseases:** respiratory failure (MESH:D012131), Bronchiolitis Obliterans (MESH:D001989), NHL (MESH:D008228), B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (MESH:D016393), cytomegalovirus infection (MESH:D003586), Lichen planus (MESH:D008010), Obstructive ventilation impairment (MESH:D053717), Oral Lichen Planus (MESH:D017676)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Figures

5 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12014420/full.md

---
Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12014420