title: Bone-marrow mast cells in lymphoproliferative disorders.
abstract: Increased bone-marrow mast-cell content and lymphoproliferative disorders have been previously linked. Using a semiquantitative method we examined bone-marrow mast-cell content in 120 marrow specimens from patients with multiple myeloma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and reactive lymphocytosis. Results indicated a statistically significant increase of marrow mast-cell content in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and reactive lymphocytosis when compared with iron-deficient control subjects (p less than or equal to 0.0005). Patients with multiple myeloma had decreased marrow mast-cell content, clearly separating them from patients with lymphoproliferative disorders and reactive lymphocytosis. Linear regression plot of marrow mast-cell content against percentage of marrow lymphocytes showed a direct relation, indicating that marrow mast-cell density may be related more to the degree of lymphoid proliferation than to the specific lymphoproliferative process. Marrow mast-cell content may therefore be reproducibly determined and used to support the morphologic diagnosis of lymphoproliferative disorders and differentiate them from atypical myelomas.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000747:Anemia, Hypochromic / Q000473:pathology; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology*; D002452:Cell Count; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D008218:Lymphocytosis / Q000473:pathology*; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*