Clinical case, lymphoma

From: Sharon Vogt (svogt@bellsouth.net)
Date: Fri Oct 15 1999 - 19:14:21 EST


Hi all,

We have a clinical case that's interesting to the point of frustration. Any
comments?

53 y male, 3 years ago and now (recurrent) lymphoma, B-cell type. Phenotype is
similar in both flow cytometric studies:

CD19+ CD20+ CD22 dim, CD5 dim before, partial now, CD25+, CD23 partial, CD11c
partial, with kappa light chain restriction. Negative for CD10. We do not stock
FMC7  (but will soon), CD21 or CD24. 

By morphology and flow (considering dim CD5 as negative), the diagnosis of
follicular center cell lymphoma (noting that 20-30% of these are known not to
express CD10) was made. None of us are entirely sure of that diagnosis now, and 
there appears to be a tad more CD5 expression (recent specimen was FNA of
cervical node); it was suggested that this may be a mantle cell lymphoma. 

OK, simple enough - immunohistochemical stains bcl-2 and cyclin D1 should answer
that question. Those are difficult stains to optimize, however, and are affected
by variations in fixation. In other words, they didn't help much. CD20 nor kappa
light chain expression is remarkable for staining intensity, but I'd favor a CLL
based on the rest of the phenotype. The pathologists say small cell, low grade,
but not really CLL-like and definitely not PLL. 

?? Thanks for any discussion.

sharon

Sharon F. Vogt
svogt@bellsouth.net
Dekalb Medical Center
Atlanta, GA  30033



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