Plasmablastic lymphomas may occur as post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders.
OBJECTIVE
To describe four cases of plasmablastic lymphoma arising in the unusual setting of a post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD).


RESULTS
Four cases were encountered over 2 years in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative patients following renal, heart or bone marrow transplantation. The cases were routinely processed and immunohistochemistry was performed. The cases showed blastic non-Hodgkin's lymphoma morphology and plasma cell-like immunophenotypic features: minimal or absent expression of leucocyte common antigen and CD20, variable CD79a and VS38 positivity. Monoclonal light chain restriction was also detected.


CONCLUSIONS
The emphasis of this paper is to document further the occurrence of plasmablastic lymphomas in HIV- individuals and to expand the spectrum of PTLD.
Borenstein
J
J
Nuffield Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK.
Pezzella
F
F
Gatter
K C
KC
D000328:Adult; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections; D006678:HIV; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016400:Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Immunoblastic / Q000209:etiology* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications