In:
Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Vol. 124, No. 6 ( 2000-06-01), p. 907-909
Abstract:
The indolent course of chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) is occasionally altered by transformation to a histologically distinct, rapidly progressive, and clinically unresponsive hematologic malignant neoplasm. We report a case of CLL that, after 3 years of slowly progressive disease and treatment with single-agent chemotherapy (fludarabine phosphate), underwent a composite prolymphocytoid and classic Hodgkin lymphoma transformation. The diagnosis of classic Hodgkin lymphoma was based on the presence of Reed-Sternberg cells with typical morphologic structure and immunophenotype (CD15+, CD30+, CD45−, CD20−) associated with the characteristic polymorphous inflammatory background consisting of numerous eosinophils, plasma cells, and reactive T lymphocytes. The remainder of the lymph node and the peripheral blood showed increased numbers of prolymphocytes admixed with typical small CLL cells. Recognition of such a transformation is of the utmost importance, since histologically similar Reed-Sternberg–like cells may be seen in Richter transformation. In contrast to prolymphocytoid transformation of CLL, Richter syndrome is rapidly fatal, with a median survival of 4 to 5 months. The patient pursued a clinical course similar to pure prolymphocytoid transformation and died with disease after 30 months following treatment with combination chemotherapy.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
1543-2165
,
0003-9985
DOI:
10.5858/2000-124-0907-CPAHTO
Language:
English
Publisher:
Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Publication Date:
2000
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2028916-9
