Castleman Disease Collaborative Network

The Castleman Disease Collaborative Network (CDCN) was co-founded in 2012 by Dr. David Fajgenbaum and Dr. Frits van Rhee (of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences). The goal from the start was to accelerate research to find a cure for Castleman disease (CD) and improve survival for all patients with CD. Drs. Fajgenbaum and van Rhee quickly brought together a global team of other physicians, researchers, patients, and loved ones, and their collaboration has made tremendous progress over the last five years. The Castleman Disease Collaborative Network (CDCN) is a global initiative dedicated to accelerating research and treatment for Castleman disease (CD) to improve survival for all patients with CD. We work to achieve this by facilitating collaboration among the global research community, mobilizing resources, strategically investing in high-impact research, and supporting patients and their loved ones. CD describes a group of inflammatory disorders that vary from a single enlarged lymph node to life-threatening multiple organ failure. CD is diagnosed in approximately 6,500 to 7,700 patients of all ages each year in the U.S.