title: Stage-related differences of mitotic and apoptotic indices, and bcl-2 protein expression in diffusely growing non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.
abstract: The present study examined whether growth characteristics of diffusely growing non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) may differ as a function of stage. Among 105 NHL of various types and sub-types (REAL [Revised European-American Lymphoma] classification), localized (Ann Arbor pathologic stages I + II) lymphomas exhibited clearly higher indices for mitotic activity, apoptosis and cell turnover, as well as a significantly lower percentage of cells containing immunohistochemically detectable bcl-2 protein, than disseminated (stages III + IV) NHL. A similar pattern emerged when high-grade (Kiel classification) lymphomas only were evaluated. Low-grade NHL showed analogous, but less marked, stage-dependent characteristics, with the exception of median percentages of bcl-2+ cells, which remained comparable in all stages. Our findings are consistent with the notion that dissemination of diffusely growing NHL is usually associated with reduced cell turnover and, in high-grade lymphomas, with the generation of longer-lived cells.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathologic Anatomy and Histology, University of Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Spina
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Leoncini
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Megha
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Del Vecchio
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Minacci
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Poggi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pileri
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tosi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kraft
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Laissue
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cottier
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017209:Apoptosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008938:Mitosis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2