Lymphoblastic lymphoma in two young siblings (coincidence or genetics?): two case reports

BACKGROUND: Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is the fourth most common malignancy in children, and it is not considered to be a hereditary disorder. However, it could affect members from the same family. CASE PRESENTATION: We are presenting two cases of Caucasian female siblings who were diagnosed with mediastinal lymphoblastic lymphoma in the same year. The two young females were presented to the emergency department with respiratory symptoms. After doing radiological investigations and biopsies, they were diagnosed with lymphoblastic lymphoma. The elder sister died before confirming the diagnosis, and the other is on chemotherapy now, with good treatment outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: This case emphasizes the crucial role of precursor genetics in lymphoblastic lymphomas and suggests a strong relation between these genetics and age at symptom presentation. This is the first report of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in a pair of siblings in the pediatric population.