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Mantle cell lymphoma: a clinicopathological study of 55 cases
Author(s) -
PITTALUGA S.,
WLODARSKA I.,
STUL M.S.,
THOMAS J.,
VERHOEF G.,
CASSIMAN J.J.,
BERGHE H. VAN DEN,
WOLFPEETERS C.DE
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
histopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.626
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1365-2559
pISSN - 0309-0167
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2559.1995.tb00615.x
Subject(s) - mantle cell lymphoma , lymphoma , cd5 , mantle (geology) , pathology , blastoid , medicine , biology , paleontology
A recently described unifying proposal for mantle cell lymphoma has led to the formulation of strict diagnostic criteria based on morphology, immunology and molecular data to define this specific entity. Previous studies were often based on broader definitions such as centrocytic lymphoma, intermediately differentiated lymphoma or mantle zone lymphoma and, therefore, included a variety of entities with some, but not all, features ascribed to the mantle cell lymphoma. Since the publication of the unifying proposal no comprehensive studies have been published to confirm and support it. We selected 55 cases of mantle cell lymphoma collected in our institution in order to evaluate the validity of the proposal and, by using strict criteria, we analysed the morphological features, their variations and the changes occurring in the course of the disease as well as its clinical behaviour. The analysis of this material demonstrates that mantle cell lymphoma affects predominantly elderly males presenting with an advanced stage of disease. Twenty‐four out of 55 patients died with, or of, the disease with a median survival of 32 months, even though most of them received aggressive chemotherapy. In all cases the histological features were strikingly uniform and most cases had a diffuse growth pattern. The neoplastic cells corresponded to small cleaved cells with a minimal variation in shape and size from one case to the other. The phenotype of the neoplastic cells was remarkably constant with expression of several pan‐B cell markers, IgM, IgD and CD5, and lack of CD10 and CD23. Sixteen cases, which were followed by consecutive biopsies, showed only slight morphological changes during the course of the disease and only four cases showed histological progression. Forty cases were documented by cytogenetics, of which 15 showed t(11; 14)(q13;q32). We examined 28 cases for DNA rearrangement of the BCL‐1 locus; it was detected in 50% of the cases, with most breakpoints occurring at the major translocation cluster. This study demonstrates that when selection criteria are strictly applied, mantle cell lymphoma represents a disease entity with a uniform presentation, distinctive morphology, immunophenotype and a strong association with t(11;14)(q13;q32).