title: Blastic natural killer cell lymphoma/leukemia: a report of seven cases.
abstract: Only a few blastic natural killer (NK) cell leukemias and lymphomas have been reported. As such, the clinicopathologic spectrum of this disease is incompletely understood. We report 7 cases of blastic NK cell lymphoma/leukemia. All patients were men, 5 white and 2 Arab American. All cases exhibited blastic morphologic features and were CD3- and CD56+ with germline T-cell receptor genes. Five cases were CD4+ and involved the skin. Both CD4- cases never involved the skin. Other markers of mature NK cells such as CD16, CD57, and TIA-1 were expressed infrequently. Three cases were CD33+. One CD33+ case had a clonal rearrangement of the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene. Skin and lymph nodes were involved most often, with frequent evolution to a leukemic phase. Initial responses to therapy were achieved in most patients, but the tumors invariably recurred.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bayerl
authors.forename: Christiane K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Rakozy
authors.forename: Anwar N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.forename: Trieu D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Vo
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Eilender
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Palutke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology; D015329:Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000473:pathology*; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D017254:Leukemic Infiltration; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell