[Primary central nervous system lymphoma presenting with central neurogenic hyperventilation. A case report and review of the literature]

Introduction: Central neurogenic hyperventilation (CNH) in an awake patient is a rare entity.

Observation: We report here a 54-year-old patient who developed central neurogenic hyperventilation as the initial presentation of a primary central nervous system lymphoma located in the brainstem.

Conclusion: The patient's hyperventilation resolved completely with chemotherapy for primary CNS lymphoma. Most of the cases reported in the literature are related to a diffuse tumor of the brainstem with an intriguing overrepresentation of primary CNS lymphoma. The pathogenesis of CNH is discussed.