ABSTRACT
We present an unusual case of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive large B-cell lymphoma, with rapid clinical progression, which occurred in a 90-year-old male patient. The patient presented with numerous enlarged lymph nodes in the neck and mediastinum. Histopathological analysis of a single lymph node detected diffuse large immunoblastic- or plasmablastic-like tumor cells, which were strongly immunoreactive for ALK in a granular cytoplasmic distribution, but negative for the expression of CD20 and CD79a. In addition, polymerase chain reaction assays were unable to detect clonal rearrangements of the T cell receptor-γ and immunoglobulin heavy chain genes in the tumor lesion, and in situ hybridization tested negative for infection with Epstein-Barr virus. The patient underwent a single cycle of chemotherapy using the cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone, and etoposide (E-CHOP) regimen; however, the patient developed pleural effusions with respiratory distress, associated with clinical deterioration. The patient succumbed to the disease within 4 months of initial presentation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the eldest patient with this type of lymphoma to be reported in the literature.
ABSTRACT
CD20-positive T-cell lymphoma is extremely rare and only two cases of CD20-positive NK/T-cell lymphoma with aggressive clinical courses have been described in the literature. We present a case of unusual NK/T-cell lymphoma with CD20 expression in nasal cavity occurring in an elder female patient. The patient had presented with left nasal cavity nodule for 10 years. CT scan revealed a mass was located at the left anterior nasal cavity and was observed to extend into the ethmoid sinus. There was no regional lymph node involvement. Biopsy was performed and microscopical inspection revealed the lesion was composed of small- to middle-size atypical lymphoid cell, histiocytes, eosinophils, and neutrophils. The lymphoid cells were strongly immunoreactive to CD3, CD20, CD56, TIA-1 and granzyme-B. The Epstein-Barr virus genomes were also found in tumor cells by in situ hybridization. By genetic analysis, however, no clonal rearrangement of the T cell receptor-γ genes (TCRG), or the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) gene was found. A diagnosis of CD20-positive extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type was made. The patient refused chemotherapy, and had been only on regular follow-up for 6 months. There was no sign of enlargement of tumor and extra-nasal dissemination by whole body positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) study. The accurate diagnosis of NK/T-cell lymphoma with CD20 expression is important, but the indolent behavior of the present case is more unusual. A long-term follow-up is suggested to be performed to inspect the progression for this tumor. VIRTUAL SLIDES: The virtual slides for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/1320848277788495.
