Clonal rearrangement of the T-cell receptor beta-chain gene in the pleural fluid of a patient with thymoma.
Thymoma is generally considered as an epithelial malignancy surrounded by lymphocytes not belonging to the tumour. This report documents a case of malignant thymoma associated with a lymphocytic pleural effusion. The pleural lymphocytes were mature T-cells, a small proportion of which were shown to have a monoclonal rearrangement of the beta-chain of the T-cell receptor. On the contrary, the lymphocytes of peripheral blood exhibited a germline configuration. The nature of the monoclonal population found in the pleural fluid is discussed and if the cells are of thymic origin their clonal configuration may point to a neoplastic nature of lymphocytes infiltrating malignant thymoma. Alternatively, the clonal T-cell subpopulation may result from an aberrant immunological response to the thymoma.
Service d'Hématologie, Hôpital de Jolimont, Haine-Saint-Paul, Belgium.
A
A
Delannoy
M
M
Philippe
J
J
Hamels
M
M
Beauduin
D002999:Clone Cells; D005260:Female; D015333:Gene Rearrangement, beta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008875:Middle Aged; D016066:Pleural Effusion, Malignant / Q000235:genetics*; D013945:Thymoma / Q000235:genetics*; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*