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this site. Some links on this page may take you to organizations
outside of the National Institutes of Health. Castleman’s
disease is a lymphoproliferative disorder affecting the lymph
nodes and related tissues. While the cause of Castleman's
disease is unknown, many doctors suspect a virus is involved.
Problems with the way an individual's immune system functions
may also contribute to the development of the condition. There
are 2 main forms of Castleman's disease: localized (discussed
here) and multicentric. They affect people very differently.
Localized or unicentric Castleman's disease only affects a
single set of lymph nodes and is not widespread. The lymph nodes
that are more commonly affected are in the chest and abdomen.
Castleman’s disease causes the lymph nodes to get larger. The
enlarged lymph nodes press on other organs and tissues inside
the chest or abdomen, causing discomfort or difficulty
breathing. Sometimes the enlarged lymph nod