Richter's syndrome: report of a case.
A 42-year-old male presented with generalized massive lymphadenopathy, fever, weight loss and numerous cutaneous nodules. Peripheral blood examination showed lymphocytosis with small lymphocytes, and immunophenotyping revealed B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Cytogenetic analysis of bone marrow aspirate revealed a clonal abnormality of chromosome 11. Lymph node biopsies showed a B-immunoblastic lymphoma. A diagnosis of Richter's syndrome (RS) was made. The patient did not respond to doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine and prednisolone (CHOP) and died of progressive disease with pneumonia and respiratory failure 9 months later. CLL is not common among Chinese people and RS is extremely rare.
Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan ROC.
P
P
Dunn
T T
TT
Kuo
H F
HF
Tien
D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000150:complications*; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000209:etiology; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D013577:Syndrome