Immunoblastic lymphadenopathy. Evolution into a malignant lymphoma with plasmacytoid features.
In the patient described progressive lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly and interstitial pulmonary disease developed two months after the development of immunoblastic lymphadenopathy. Light microscopic examination of a lymph node biopsy specimen suggested a diagnosis of immunoblastic sarcoma. Evolution of this malignant lymphoma into a leukemic phase allowed detailed studies of the malignant cells by electron microscopy, cytochemical staining and immunologic technics. Evidence is presented that this is a case of malignant lymphoma with plasmacytoid and not lymphoid features. Review of the literature on immunoblastic sarcoma suggests that light microscopy and clinical setting are not sufficient to define a homogeneous clinicopathologic disease.
D000328:Adult; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology