Immunohistochemical Study of Upper Respiratory Tract Malignant Lymphomas with Features of Polymorphic Reticulosis

ABSTRACT

Malignant lymphomas of the upper respiratory tract are relatively common in the Orient including Korea. They have a marked clinicopathologic and immunophenotypic diversity. We retrospectively reviewed 20 cases of malignant lymphomas with features of polymorphic reticulosis in the upper respiratory tract. Histopathologic findings consisted of polymorphism of lymphoid cells in 17 cases(85%), angiocentricity in 14 cases(70%), coagulation necrosis in 12 cases(60%), and epitheliotropism in 8 cases(40%). By Working Formulation, 14 cases(70%) were classified as diffuse large cell type, 4 cases(20%) as diffuse mixed small cleaved and large cell type, one case as immunoblastic type, and one case as anaplastic large cell type. On immunostaining, one showed B-cell phenotype and 19 cases showed T-cell phenotype. The B-cell type was histologically diffuse large cell type. From these results, we concluded that polymorphic reticulosis is a type of peripheral T-cell lymphoma with angiocentricity.