Hojung Lee

TCL1 expression predicts overall survival in patients with mantle cell lymphoma.

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) has a heterogeneous clinical course. Although most cases show a poor prognosis, a minority has an indolent course. It is difficult to identify indolent MCL cases prospectively. T‐cell leukemia/lymphoma protein 1 (TCL1) is expressed by several B‐cell lymphomas, including MCL. This study examined the expression of TCL1 and its prognostic relevance for MCL.

Mutational Analysis of Extranodal NK/T-Cell Lymphoma Using Targeted Sequencing with a Comprehensive Cancer Panel

Extranodal natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type (NKTCL), is a malignant disorder of cytotoxic lymphocytes of NK or T cells. It is an aggressive neoplasm with a very poor prognosis. Although extranodal NKTCL reportedly has a strong association with Epstein-Barr virus, the molecular pathogenesis of NKTCL has been unexplored. The recent technological advancements in next-generation sequencing (NGS) have made DNA sequencing cost- and time-effective, with more reliable results. Using the Ion Proton Comprehensive Cancer Panel, we sequenced 409 cancer-related genes to identify somatic mutations in five NKTCL tissue samples. The sequencing analysis detected 25 mutations in 21 genes. Among them, KMT2D, a histone modification-related gene, was the most frequently mutated gene (four of the five cases). This result was consistent with recent NGS studies that have suggested KMT2D as a novel driver gene in NKTCL. Mutations were also found in ARID1A, a chromatin remodeling gene, and TP53, which also recurred in recent NGS studies. We also found mutations in 18 novel candidate genes, with molecular functions that were potentially implicated in cancer development. We suggest that these genes may result in multiple oncogenic events and may be used as potential bio-markers of NKTCL in the future.

Ureteral Marginal Zone Lymphoma of Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue, Chronic Inflammation, and Renal Artery Atherosclerosis

Malignant lymphoma of the upper urinary tract including the renal pelvis and ureter is extremely rare. Less than ten cases have been reported in the literature, of which extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT lymphoma) is the most frequent histologic type [1]. MALT lymphoma arising in the stomach, skin, thyroid, and salivary gland is associated with chronic inflammation caused by pathogenic microorganisms or autoimmune disorder [2]; however, the pathogenesis of MALT lymphoma in the upper urinary tract is unknown. Herein, we report a case of upper ureteral MALT lymphoma with extensive peri-ureteropelvic inflammation and atherosclerosis of the renal artery, and discuss the possible correlation between these lesions.