J Korean Med Sci.  2004 Apr;19(2):229-233. 10.3346/jkms.2004.19.2.229.

Bone Marrow is Involved in Less than 10% of Patients with Nasal-Type NK/T Cell Lymphoma at Initial Diagnosis

• Sung CO
• Ko YH

• KMID: 1733482
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2004.19.2.229

Abstract

To evaluate the frequency of bone marrow involvement by nasal-type NK/T cell lymphoma, we retrospectively studied biopsy specimens from 40 patients by EBV in situ hybridization (ISH). Three patients had marrow involvement at initial diagnosis (7.5%). In one patient (1/40, 2.5%), the disease in bone marrow was recognized by routine morphological assessment, while two other patients had minimal involvement of lymphoma cells which was recognized only by EBV in situ hybridization (2/40, 5%). Two patients had a disseminated disease at diagnosis and died 6 days and 214 days after diagnosis. One patient had diffuse colonic lesion and died 82 days later. In conclusion, marrow involvement in nasal NK/T cell lymphoma is infrequent at initial diagnosis, and EBV ISH is a useful technique for identifying the minor subgroup of patients which have easily overlooked neoplastic involvement.

Keyword

Killer Cell, Natural; Lymphoma; Herpesvirus 4, Human; In Situ Hybridization; Bone Marrow

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Biopsy
Bone Marrow/*pathology
Epstein-Barr Virus Infections/complications/pathology
Female
Herpesvirus 4, Human/genetics
Human
Killer Cells, Natural/*pathology
Lymphoma, T-Cell/complications/*pathology
Male
Middle Aged
Nasal Cavity/*pathology/virology
Prognosis
RNA, Viral/analysis
Retrospective Studies

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Case 2 showing bone marrow involvement by NK/T cell lymphoma, which is identified by HE stain (A) as well as by EBV in-situ hybridization (B).

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  Fig. 2 Case No. 20. NK/T cell lymphoma in bone marrow is not suspected by H&E stain (A) and immunohistochemical stain with CD 3 (B) and CD56 (C), but detected by EBER in-situ hybridization (D).

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