title: Heterogeneity of lymphoblastic malignancies in children.
abstract: Lymphocyte surface markers show that lymphoblastic lymphomata in children are a heterogeneous but related group of diseases. Lymphoblastic lymphomas of T cell type fall into at least three subgroups: (1) HTLA positive, E rosette negative, TdT positive phenotype, with characteristically high levels of TdT and some associated expression of C-ALL antigen on a small proportion of cells. (2) E rosette positive lymphoblasts with intermediate range of TdT positivity, and which express antigens specific for thymic cortical lymphocytes. (3) E rosette positive and C3d positive T lymphoblasts with low levels of TdT enzyme. B lymphoblastic lymphomas show a major subgroup characterised by surface IgM expression, with or without detectable cytoplasmic IgM, and which may express ALL antigen. A minor subgroup of B lymphoblastic disease, of predominantly nodal presentation, expresses surface IgM with some expression of C3d receptors. Therefore at least 3 T cell, and 2 B cell subgroups of lymphoblastic lymphoma can be described.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D007223:Infant; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000276:immunology*; D010641:Phenotype; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000032:analysis; D012397:Rosette Formation; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D003176:Complement C3; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell