ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the clinicopathological features, immunophenotyping and clinical biological behavior of bone marrow (BM) involvement of systemic anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (S-ALCL).Methods 34 S-ALCL including 24 ALK(+) and 10 ALK(-) cases available with the formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue blocks of BM biopsy (n=19) or BM smear sections (n=15) were included in this study.BM samples were sent to both morphologic evaluation using H&E (Hematoxylin & Eosin)-stained sections and immunophenotypic detection by immunohistochemistry (IHC). EBV status was determined by visualization of EBERs in tumor cells using in situ hybridization (ISH). Results BM involvement was seen in 17.6 % (6/34)S-ALCL patients which were confirmed by BM biopsy. No significant difference in the incidence of BM involvement was observed between ALK(+)[16.7 % (4/24)] and ALK(-) [20.0 % (2/10) S-ALCL (P =0.3555).Age and gender were not associated with the presence or the absence of BM involvement by S-ALCL (P= 0.8089and 0.3085), tumor cells of patients with BM involvement were interstitial distribution. S-ALCL patients with BM involvement have a poor prognosis as compared to those without BM involvement (P =0.0407). Conclusion BM involvement was not frequently seen in S-ALCL. The occurrence of BM involvement by S-ALCL was not associated with age, gender or the expression of ALK protein. BM involvement is an adverse prognostic factor in S-ALCL, BM biopsy is useful to predict the prognosis of S-ALCL.