Burkitt's-like lymphoma of T-cell type.
Over an 8-yr period, we studied 29 cases of Burkitt's/Burkitt's-like lymphoma and unexpectedly found 2 Burkitt's-like cases of the T-cell type. One case presented as diffuse adenopathy in a 35-yr-old male. A second case presented as a jaw mass in a 2-yr-old girl with Down's syndrome. Histologically, each case demonstrated usual Burkitt's-like morphology (intermediate-size cells with high nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio, 1 to 3 prominent nucleoli, high mitotic rate, basophilic cytoplasm, and cytoplasmic vacuolation). Ultrastructural morphometric data corroborated the Burkitt's-like nature of these neoplasms. Immunologically, the neoplasms were of "novel" T-cell phenotype, as seen in peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTL). The cases showed variable expression of activation antigens (e.g., Ia) and weak to moderate expression of proliferation antigens as measured by Ki-67. This modest proliferative activity (less than 25% Ki-67 expression) contrasts with Burkitt's-like lymphomas of the B-cell type which usually show greater than 80% Ki-67 expression. The jaw tumor also demonstrated positivity for human progenitor cell antigen (HPCA) as commonly found in leukemia. Both cases mimic granulocytic sarcoma by virtue of their eosinophilic/myelocytic recruitment--a phenomenon previously reported in association with PTL. The patients have survived 62 wk and 20 wk, respectively, surpassing the survival rates seen in our concurrent B-cell Burkitt's-like lymphomas (12 wk). Burkitt's-like lymphoma of the T-cell type appears to be a distinctive immunological subset of potential clinical and prognostic relevance.
Oliver
J D
JD
Department of Pathology, University of Arizona, Tucson.
Grogan
T M
TM
Payne
C M
CM
Spier
C
C
Richter
L C
LC
Rangel
C S
CS
D000328:Adult; D002051:Burkitt Lymphoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010641:Phenotype; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure