title: Transformation of CLL to ALCL: the role of clonality studies in diagnostic molecular haematopathology.
abstract: Clonality studies greatly assist in the diagnosis of challenging haematopathology cases. These robust and standardised tests aid the detection of clonal lymphoid populations and may assist in lymphocyte subtyping. In this case report, a gentleman presented with a high-grade transformation of a B cell neoplasm which histologically and immunophenotypically mimicked a T cell anaplastic large-cell lymphoma. With the aid of T cell and B cell receptor clonality studies, it was demonstrated that this tumour was in fact of B cell lineage. This report exemplifies the role of these increasingly used and relatively new molecular tests in unusual and difficult lymphoma presentations and highlights potential pitfalls in the interpretation of their results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular Pathology, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, Oxford, UK ; Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Colling
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular Pathology, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, Oxford, UK ; Nuffield Division of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Royston
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular Pathology, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, Oxford, UK ; Nuffield Division of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Soilleux
keywords: Clonality; Lymphoma; Molecular diagnostics; PCR