title: Richter's syndrome. A terminal complication of chronic lymphocytic leukemia with distinct clinicopathologic features.
abstract: Long, John C., AND Aisenberg, Alan C.: Richter's syndrome. A terminal complication of chronic lymphocytic leukemia with distinct clinicopathologic features. Am J Clin Pathol 63: 786-795, 1975. Two patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia of 8 and 9 years duration had a terminal illness characterized by weight loss, persistent fever, lymphadenopathy, and dysglobulinemia. In both cases autopsy revealed a pleomorphic histiocytic lymphoma which contained multinucleate tumor cells and was associated with persistent chronic lymphocytic leukemia. These two cases are examples of Richter's syndrome, a clinically distinct complication of chronic lymphocytic leukemia that may be confused pathologically with Hodgkin's disease. Review of the medical literature suggests that this syndrome has frequently gone unrecognized. (Key words: Richter's syndrome; Chronic lymphocytic leukemia.)
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001344:Autopsy; D001796:Blood Protein Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D001835:Body Weight; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000150:complications; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D008231:Lymphopenia / Q000150:complications; D008875:Middle Aged; D013577:Syndrome
chemical_list: D007075:Immunoglobulin M