title: Anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma presenting as an isolated nasopharyngeal mass: a case report and review of literature.
abstract: Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is a rare and distinct variant of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with characteristic morphologic, immunophenotypic, and cytogenetic features. We report a case of ALK-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in a 44-year-old male with progressively worsening unilateral nasal congestion and obstruction secondary to a nasopharyngeal mass. Radiologically, the mass was showed to extend to orophanrynx from nasopharynx. Histologically, the tumor cells exhibited plasmablastic morphology with expression of Bob-1, CD4, CD10, CD45, CD56, CD138, EMA, MUM1, Oct-2, and kappa immunoglobulin light chain, but negative for CD20, CD30, CD79a, PAX-5, and lambda. More importantly, the neoplastic cells showed positive immunoreactivity for ALK with exclusive cytoplasmic granular staining pattern. This case represented the second reported ALK-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the nasopharyngeal region.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego Health Sciences, 3855 Health Sciences Drive, San Diego, CA 92093, USA.
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ann M P
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Tipps
authors.forename: Huan-You
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000077548:Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000601:surgery; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C000626173:ALK protein, human; D000077548:Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases