Nilima Parry-Jones

Prognostic features of splenic lymphoma with villous lymphocytes: A report on 129 patients

Summary. Splenic lymphoma with villous lymphocytes (SLVL) is a low‐grade B‐cell lymphoma defined in the World Health Organization classification as the leukaemic form of splenic marginal zone lymphoma. Presenting features and response to therapy have been described, but information on prognostic factors is scanty. Clinical, laboratory and follow‐up data were collected on 129 patients with SLVL to determine features predicting disease behaviour and survival. Diagnosis was made on clinical, morphological and immunophenotypic features and, where available, bone marrow and spleen histology. Median age was 69 years (range 39–90 years) and male:female ratio, 0·9. The majority had splenomegaly, but lymphadenopathy and hepatomegaly were rare. Median Hb was 11·8 g/dl, white blood cell count was 16 × 109/l and platelet count was 145 × 109/l; 27% of patients had monoclonal protein in serum and/or urine. While 27% of patients remained untreated, 10% transformed to high‐grade lymphoma. Median follow‐up was 61 months and median survival was 13 years, with 72% of patients alive at 5 years. Cox regression analysis showed that increasing age, anaemia, thrombocytopenia and lymphocytosis > 16 × 109/l were independent adverse predictors of overall survival. However, only anaemia and lymphocytosis > 16 × 109/l remained highly significant independent prognostic factors when only deaths due to lymphoma were analysed. Splenectomized patients fared better than those receiving chemotherapy only (P = 0·001 for SLVL deaths). We conclude that SLVL is mainly a disease of the elderly with a relatively benign course but, when treatment is required, splenectomy is beneficial.

The t(14;19)(q32;q13)-positive small B-cell leukaemia: a clinicopathologic and cytogenetic study of seven cases.

The t(14;19)(q32;q13), involving the BCL3 locus at chromosome 19q13 and the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene at 14q32, is a rare recurrent cytogenetic abnormality identified in B‐cell neoplasms, most of which have been classified as chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) in the literature. We describe the clinicopathological, immunophenotypic and cytogenetic findings in seven patients with B‐cell neoplasms associated with t(14;19)(q32;q13). There were five men and two women, with a median age of 48 years (range 33–68). All had absolute lymphocytosis, six had lymphadenopathy, and one had splenomegaly. Lymphocytes in blood and bone marrow aspirate smears were predominantly small and cytologically atypical. Flow cytometric immunophenotyping showed an atypical immunophenotype with low CLL scores. The growth pattern in bone marrow biopsy specimens was interstitial to diffuse; immunohistochemical stains were positive for bcl3 and negative for cyclin D1. Lymph node biopsy specimens of two patients revealed total architectural effacement by neoplasm with proliferation centres. In addition to t(14;19), cytogenetic studies demonstrated trisomy 12 in five patients. These results suggest that B‐cell neoplasms with the t(14;19)(q32;q13) present frequently as leukaemia composed of small B‐lymphocytes and share many features with CLL. However, these neoplasms also differ from CLL cytologically and in their immunophenotype.

Revised guidelines for the diagnosis and management of hairy cell leukaemia and hairy cell leukaemia variant

The British Committee for Standards in Haematology first produced guidelines for the diagnosis and management of hairy cell leukaemia and hairy cell leukaemia variant in 2000. This revision updates those guidelines and covers the areas of diagnosis, treatment and assessment of response to therapy.

The Leukemic Presentation of Mantle-cell Lymphoma: Disease Features and Prognostic Factors in 58 Patients

Mantle-cell lymphoma (MCL) is a B-cell malignancy with distinct molecular genetics and pathological features. Peripheral blood involvement has been reported with variable frequency, but information on the natural history of cases presenting with leukemia is lacking. This study aimed to determine the clinical and prognostic features of such cases. We studied clinical features, tumor characteristics, prognostic factors and outcome in 58 patients with leukemic presentation of MCL. Diagnosis was based on morphology, immunophenotype, presence of t(11;14), histology and cyclin D1 expression. The median age was 62 years and male:female 2.4:1. Presenting features included splenomegaly (74%), lymphadenopathy (45%), hepatomegaly (17%) and, in a minority, gastro-intestinal involvement or involvement of Waldeyers ring; 10% had lymphocytosis alone. Six patients developed central nervous system disease. Median lymphocyte count was 58 x 10(9)/l, 55% had anemia and 17% had thrombocytopenia. Morphology of peripheral blood showed small-cell MCL in 15% of cases, typical MCL in 46% and blastoid MCL in 39%. Immunological markers showed a typical phenotype (CD5+ CD23 -) in 68%, and atypical phenotypes, CD5- CD23- in 17% or CD5+ CD23+ in 15%. CLL scores were 0, 1 or 2 in 96%. Median overall survival was 36 months. Good response to first-line treatment (P = 0.0008) and splenomegaly (P = 0.03) were favorable prognostic factors, while other features including morphology and CD38 expression had no impact on survival or treatment response. This analysis demonstrates that except for splenomegaly, survival of MCL patients presenting with leukemia is not significantly influenced by clinical or tumor characteristics. Splenectomy is a useful treatment option in this group of patients.

B-prolymphocytic leukaemia with t(11;14) revisited: a splenomegalic form of mantle cell lymphoma evolving with leukaemia

We reviewed eight cases that were diagnosed before 1995 with B‐prolymphocytic leukaemia (B‐PLL) harbouring t(11;14)(q13;q32) and/or cyclin D1 staining. Thirteen B‐PLL patients without t(11;14) were selected as controls. Peripheral blood, bone marrow and histological sections were re‐examined without cytogenetic information. Final diagnosis was made using morphology, cytogenetics, immunophenotype and immunohistochemistry. Clinical characteristics were similar for both groups except for younger age, male predominance and extranodal involvement in cases with t(11;14). CD5 was more frequently positive in the t(11;14)+ group (80%) than in the t(11;14)− group (31%). Surface membrane immunoglobulin was strongly expressed by all t(11;14)+ cases, but only 45% of t(11;14)− cases. Histopathological and cytological review of cases with t(11;14) showed an infiltrate with a mixture of cells, some resembling prolymphocytes and others with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) morphology. Blood films of cases with t(11;14) showed features suggestive of B‐PLL in three, and in others, a mixture of cells resembling MCL and nucleolated ones; none corresponded to the blastoid form of MCL. We suggest that ‘B‐PLL’ with t(11;14) may represent a splenomegalic form of MCL evolving with leukaemia. These cases illustrate the importance of tissue diagnosis with cyclin D1 staining and fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis in B‐cell leukaemia with prolymphocytic features.

Cytogenetic abnormalities additional to t(11;14) correlate with clinical features in leukaemic presentation of mantle cell lymphoma, and may influence prognosis: a study of 60 cases by FISH.

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), characterised by t(11;14)(q13;q32), has a poor prognosis. Many cases have additional cytogenetic abnormalities, and often have a complex karyotype. Fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) was used to study 60 cases with leukaemic presentation of MCL, to determine the frequency, clinical correlations and prognostic impact of a panel of molecular cytogenetic abnormalities: 17p13 (TP53 locus), 13q14, 12 p11·1‐q11 (centromere), 6q21 and 11q23. CD38 expression, of prognostic value in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), was also studied, and correlations with clinical and cytogenetic abnormalities sought. Eighty per cent of cases had at least one abnormality in addition to t(11;14). Deletions at 17p13 (TP53) and 13q14 were most frequent and involved the majority of the leukaemic clone. Cases with TP53 deletion were more likely to have splenomegaly and marked leucocytosis (>30 × 109/l), and less likely to have lymphadenopathy than those without deletion. Deletions at 11q23 and 6q21 were associated with extranodal disease. 13q14 and 11q23 deletions showed a trend towards worse prognosis by univariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, deletions at 13q14 and 6q21 were independent predictors of poor outcome. Deletion at 17p13 did not show prognostic impact in this series. CD38, positive in two‐thirds of cases, was associated with male gender and nodal disease but not with any cytogenetic abnormality, or with survival.

IgVH genes mutation and usage, ZAP-70 and CD38 expression provide new insights on B-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (B-PLL)

B-prolymphocytic leukemia (B-PLL) is a rare disease with poor prognosis. To further characterize the biological features of this disease, we analyzed immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgVH) mutations, ZAP-70 and CD38 in 19 cases with de novo B-PLL. Immunoglobulin heavy chain genes analysis showed an unmutated pattern (>98% homology to germ line) in 9/17 cases (53%), with 100% homology in eight. In the remaining, it ranged from 90 to 97.4%, with three cases slightly mutated (98–95%) and five heavily mutated (<95%). All B-PLL utilized members of VH3 (11/17) and VH4 (6/17) families, with V3-23, V4-59 and V4-34 gene accounting for more than half of them, regardless of mutational status. ZAP-70, assessed by flow cytometry, ranged from 1 to 91% cells, being ⩾20% in 57% of cases. CD38 ranged from 1 to 99% (median 21%). There was no correlation between IgVH status and ZAP-70 or CD38 expression, but male gender and del(17p) were more common in the unmutated group. Neither IgVH mutations, CD38 expression nor del(17p) influenced patients’ outcome. Unexpectedly, ZAP-70+ B-PLL patients survived longer (40 months) than ZAP-70− B-PLL (8 months). B-PLL appears biologically heterogeneous regarding IgVH mutations, ZAP-70 and CD38 expression, showing a pattern distinct from that of other lymphoproliferative disorders.

B-cell prolymphocytic leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia have distinctive gene expression signatures

B-cell prolymphocytic leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia have distinctive gene expression signatures