Pseudo-Gaucher cells preceding the appearance of immunoblastic lymphoma.
A 49-year-old white woman who presented with multiple lytic bone lesions was found to have Gaucher-like storage cells in multiple bone marrow aspirates and a percutaneous bone marrow biopsy several months before the development of overt disseminated lymphoma. Open bone biopsies of three different sites at initial presentation revealed only necrotic debris and a nondiagnostic polymorphic infiltrate. Elevated leukocyte beta-glucocerebrosidase levels ruled out the diagnosis of classic Gaucher's disease. The ultrastructural characteristics of these storage cells were found to be identical to those of pseudo-Gaucher cells found in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia and distinctly different from those previously reported in other non-Hodgkin's lymphoma or plasma cell dyscrasias. A possible pathogenetic mechanism is suggested.
Papadimitriou
J C
JC
Department of Medicine, University of Maryland Cancer Center, Baltimore 21201.
Chakravarthy
A
A
Heyman
M R
MR
D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D005776:Gaucher Disease / Q000473:pathology*; D005964:Glucosyltransferases / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008875:Middle Aged; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D005964:Glucosyltransferases