Bone marrow involvement in NPM-ALK-positive lymphoma: report of two cases

Pathol Res Pract. 1999;195(9):657-61. doi: 10.1016/S0344-0338(99)80132-0.

Abstract

Two cases of NPM-ALK-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) with bone marrow involvement are reported. These cases were recognized within a group of NPM-ALK-positive ALCLs (n = 6) by using immunohistochemistry with the ALK1 monoclonal antibody. In case 1, the bone marrow showed diffuse infiltration of round to spindle-shaped lymphoma cells with moderate fibrosis. In case 2, lymphoma cells intermingling with hematopoietic cells could only be identified by immunohistochemical staining. In contrast to the four NPM-ALK-positive ALCL cases, which showed a cohesive growth pattern in the lymph nodes, the two cases reported here displayed lymphoma cells of smaller size, and they were classified as lymphohistiocytic variants histologically. ALK1 stained small-sized components more clearly than did CD30 (HRS-4). These results suggest that bone marrow involvement of NPM-ALK-positive ALCL may be frequently associated with a histological variant showing a small-sized cell component, and that ALK1 immunostaining is a useful tool to investigate lymphomas for bone marrow involvement.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology
  • Antibodies, Neoplasm / immunology
  • Bone Marrow / metabolism
  • Bone Marrow / pathology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Lymph Nodes / metabolism
  • Lymph Nodes / pathology
  • Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic / metabolism
  • Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic / pathology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / metabolism*
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Neoplasm
  • Oncogene Proteins, Fusion
  • p80(NPM-ALK) protein
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases