Centroblastic lymphoma of the thyroid supervening long-lasting chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) demonstration of biclonality by immunohistochemical and gene rearrangement analysis.

Abstract

A 67-year-old woman suffering since 5 years from a so far nontreated B-CLL underwent hemithyroidectomy for a rapidly enlarging tumor. Histologically, the coincidence of a centroblastic lymphoma and thyroidal infiltration by the CLL was diagnosed. Immunohistology revealed typical immunoprofils for both, B-CLL and centroblastic lymphoma on the background of B cell differentiation antigens. The bitypical immunoglobulin light chain expression--lambda on the B-CLL cells and kappa on the centroblasts--suggested biclonality. This was confirmed by gene rearrangement analysis of peripheral leukemia cells and tumor tissue. Thus, the final diagnosis of a primary thyroidal lymphoma of the centroblastic type (stage IE) arising independently from a preexisting B-CLL was achieved. Consequently, the patient received local radiotherapy. In our opinion, the designation "Richter's Syndrome", readily applied in the literature, is inappropriate for this tumor constellation.

• Authors: L Trümper, D U Matthaei-Maurer, W Knauf, P Möller
• Journal: Klinische Wochenschrift (Klin Wochenschr) Vol. 66 Issue 16 Pg. 736-42 (Aug 15 1988) ISSN: 0023-2173 [Print] Germany
• PMID: 3139912 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains
• Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains

Topics

• Aged
• Female
• Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte, Light Chain
• Humans
• Immunoenzyme Techniques
• Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains (genetics)
• Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains (genetics)
• Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell (genetics, pathology)
• Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin (genetics, pathology)
• Neoplasms, Multiple Primary (genetics, pathology)
• Thyroid Gland (pathology)
• Thyroid Neoplasms (genetics, pathology)