Identification of genuine primary pulmonary NK cell lymphoma via clinicopathologic observation and clonality assay

• Published in: Diagnostic pathology Vol. 8; no. 1; p. 140
• Main Authors: Gong, Li, Wei, Long-Xiao, Huang, Gao-Sheng, Zhang, Wen-Dong, Wang, Lu, Zhu, Shao-Jun, Han, Xiu-Juan, Yao, Li, Lan, Miao, Li, Yan-Hong, Zhang, Wei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 19-08-2013; BioMed Central
• Subjects: Aged; Analysis; Care and treatment; Chromosome Disorders; Diagnosis; Epstein-Barr virus; Fatal Outcome; Female; Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte; Genetic aspects; Genetic polymorphisms; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genetic Testing - methods; Health aspects; Herpesvirus 4, Human - genetics; Humans; Immunology; Immunophenotyping; In Situ Hybridization; Killer cells; Lung Neoplasms - genetics; Lung Neoplasms - immunology; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Lung Neoplasms - virology; Lymphoma; Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell - genetics; Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell - immunology; Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell - pathology; Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell - virology; Medical research; Mosaicism; Phenotype; Phosphoglycerate Kinase - genetics; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Predictive Value of Tests; Prognosis; Receptors, Androgen - genetics; Single nucleotide polymorphisms; T cell lymphoma; T cell receptors; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Treatment Refusal; X Chromosome Inactivation; China
• ISSN: 1746-1596; 1746-1596
• DOI: 10.1186/1746-1596-8-140

Extranodal natural killer (NK)/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type, is an uncommon lymphoma associated with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). It most commonly involves the nasal cavity and upper respiratory tract. Primary pulmonary NK/T cell lymphoma is extremely rare. If a patient with a NK or T-cell tumor has an unusual reaction to treatment or an unusual prognosis, it is wise to differentiate NK from T-cell tumors. The clinicopathologic characteristics, immunophenotype, EBV in situ hybridization, and T cell receptor (TCR) gene rearrangement of primary pulmonary NK cell lymphoma from a 73-year-old Chinese woman were investigated and the clonal status was determined using female X-chromosomal inactivation mosaicism and polymorphisms at the phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) gene. The lesion showed the typical histopathologic characteristics and immunohistochemical features of NK/T cell lymphoma. However, the sample was negative for TCR gene rearrangement. A clonality assay demonstrated that the lesion was monoclonal. It is concluded that this is the first recorded case of genuine primary pulmonary NK cell lymphoma. The purpose of the present work is to recommend that pathologists carefully investigate the whole lesion to reduce the likelihood that primary pulmonary NK cell lymphoma will be misdiagnosed as an infectious lesion. In addition, TCR gene rearrangement and clonal analysis, which is based on female X-chromosomal inactivation mosaicism and polymorphisms at PGK and androgen receptor (AR) loci, were found to play important roles in differentiating NK cell lymphoma from T cell lymphoma.
The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/5205300349457729.