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Peripheral T cell lymphomas with follicular T helper phenotype: a new basket or a distinct entity? Revising Karl Lennert’s personal archive
Author(s) -
Agostinelli Claudio,
Hartmann Sylvia,
Klapper Wolfram,
Korkolopoulou Penelope,
Righi Simona,
Marafioti Teresa,
Piccaluga Pier Paolo,
Patsouris Efstratios,
Hansmann MartinLeo,
Lennert Karl,
Pileri Stefano A
Publication year - 2011
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.1365-2559.2011.03981.x
Subject(s) - pathology , immunohistochemistry , lymphoma , follicular phase , nuclear atypia , peripheral t cell lymphoma , biology , phenotype , atypia , not otherwise specified , in situ hybridization , medicine , t cell , immunology , gene , gene expression , genetics , immune system
Agostinelli C, Hartmann S, Klapper W, Korkolopoulou P, Righi S, Marafioti T, Piccaluga P P, Patsouris E, Hansmann M‐L, Lennert K & Pileri S A
(2011) Histopathology 59 , 679–691 Peripheral T cell lymphomas with follicular T helper phenotype: a new basket or a distinct entity? Revising Karl Lennert’s personal archive Aims: To revise 25 cases selected from Karl Lennert’s personal archive (21) and Bologna and Frankfurt Registries (four) because of cytological similarities. Methods and results: All cases were provided with paraffin blocks and studied by immunohistochemistry and molecular techniques. While phenotyping was very informative, among molecular studies only EBER in situ ‐hybridization (ISH) was successful. Twenty‐two cases were concluded as peripheral T cell lymphomas (PTCL). Of these, six were reclassified as angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma (AITL), 13 as PTCL, not otherwise specified (NOS), including four follicular variants and one tumour with T‐zone pattern, and three as borderline tumours between AITL and PTCL/NOS. All these cases consisted homogeneously of small/medium‐sized elements with mild nuclear atypia and an evident rim of clear/pale cytoplasm. On immunohistochemistry, they regularly expressed three to six follicular helper T cell (FTH)‐associated markers. EBER–ISH revealed scattered EBV‐infected B cells in all tumours except those with ‘follicular’ growth pattern. The content of follicular dendritic cells and high‐endothelial venules varied significantly depending on the histotype. Conclusions: This study shows that: (i) historical material can be still employed usefully, and (ii) the FTH‐phenotype corresponds to a broad spectrum of PTCLs that might form a new category to be validated in future molecular and clinicopathological analyses.