title: Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma: cytopathologic correlates on fine-needle aspiration.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL), a rare subtype of Hodgkin lymphoma, is an indolent tumor with frequent instances of disease recurrence but a favorable prognosis. To the best of the authors' knowledge, there are only limited descriptions of NLPHL in the cytology literature because it was only formally recognized as a distinct entity in 1994.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the current study, all cases of NLPHL diagnosed on excisional biopsy (n = 6 cases) at the study institution between 2000 and 2011 that had undergone previous fine-needle aspiration (FNA) were reviewed, with a focus on cytomorphologic features.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four of 6 cases were termed benign on FNA; however, there was retrospective recognition of characteristic LP cells in all cases. Unlike classical Hodgkin lymphoma, the tumor cells of NLPHL were often found to be mononucleate and presented in a background of small lymphocytes. Other features identified included epithelioid histiocytes and numerous bare atypical nuclei.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cases of NLPHL are commonly misdiagnosed as benign reactive lymphoid tissue and therefore a careful search using high magnification for LP cells is recommended in the evaluation of lymph node FNAs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, USA.
authors.forename: Andrea P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Subhawong
authors.forename: Syed Z
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Armanda D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Tatsas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies