Objective: To investigate the relationship of expression of NPM-ALK cohesive gene protein with the subtypes and prognosis of anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL).
Methods: Nineteen cases of ALCL with CD30 positivity were studied. Immunohistochemical staining was performed in paraffin sections by using polyclonal antibody anti-p80 and other monoclonal antibodies. The clinical data of these patients were analyzed and all patients were followed-up.
Results: The neoplastic cells in 9 out of 19 ALCL expressed p80 protein. Histopathologically, all 9 cases with p80 expression were common type and small cell type. None of these 9 cases were Hodgkin like type (P < 0.05). Immunologically, all the 9 positive cases were T and null cell phenotype and none of them was B cell or other phenotype (P < 0.05). Clinically, the patients with p80 expression were younger than those without p80 expression (P < 0.05). The prognosis of the former was worse than in the later (P < 0.05).
Conclusions: p80 positive ALCL could be a new clinicopathological entity. The polyclonal antibody anti-p80 might be an useful marker for the differential diagnosis and prognosis estimation of ALCL.