Acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Over the last two decades, great strides have been made in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). This progress has been paralleled by advances in diagnosis. In addition to morphology and cytochemistry, the diagnostic and prognostic importance of immunophenotypic and genetic features is becoming increasingly apparent. This article reviews the clinical and morphologic features, immunophenotypic classification, and karyotypic abnormalities of ALL, and discusses how these aspects relate to the diagnosis of ALL.

Special stains in the diagnosis of acute leukemia.

Special stains are used in the evaluation of bone marrow specimens to augment Wright-Giemsa preparations. This article details the common cytochemical stains available, and discusses their clinical use as indicators of hematopoietic lineage. Iron and reticulin stains, which are widely used in the general evaluation of the bone marrow, are also reviewed.

Syphilitic lymphadenopathy. Histology and human immunodeficiency virus status.

Few reports on syphilitic lymphadenopathy have appeared in 20 years, and none have compared findings in patients with and without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, despite the recent epidemic spread of syphilis and HIV. Twelve cases of syphilitic lymphadenopathy were studied and grouped according to HIV status. Patients were 21 to 62 years old (median, 29 years); 7 were men, 5 were women. Biopsy sites were cervical (7 cases), inguinal (4), and axillary (1) lymph nodes. All patients had evidence of syphilis. Rapid plasma reagin titers ranged from 1:32 to 1:512. Treponemal hemagglutination was positive in all cases tested. Spirochetes were found with Steiner staining in 2 cases. HIV testing was positive in 4, negative in 2, and unknown in 6 cases. Lymph nodes were enlarged and often fragmented due to capsular fibrosis and chronic inflammation, with focal obliteration of the subcapsular sinus. Follicular and interfollicular hyperplasia was seen in all cases and was usually marked, with prominent vascular proliferation, plasma cells, immuno-blasts, histiocytes, and occasional neutrophils. Follicle lysis and granulomas suggestive of unconfirmed toxoplasmosis were each seen in 1 case, and Kaposi sarcoma in 2, all in HIV-positive patients. Lymphoplasmacytic infiltration was marked, especially in interfollicular areas, with peri-vascular plasma cell cuffing in all cases and obliterative endarteritis in about half (7 of 12, 56%). Immunostaining for CD45RO (UCHL-1), CD20 (L26), kappa, lambda, and CD68 (Kp-1) revealed a mixed population of T cells, polyclonal B cells, and interfollicular histiocytes. Distribution of T and B cells (immunoarchitecture) was essentially normal and similar in all cases, regardless of HIV status. Syphilis produces essentially identical findings in lymph nodes in both HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients. The morphologic findings described should prompt evaluation for infection with Treponema pallidum and, in light of the current epidemic, HIV.

Bone marrow biopsy findings in childhood anemia: prevalence of transient erythroblastopenia of childhood.

OBJECTIVE: Bone marrow examination is rarely required for the diagnosis of childhood anemia, and its diagnostic utility in this setting is unknown. DESIGN: Marrow specimens from 25 children aged 11 days to 12 years were reviewed to determine the cause of unexplained anemia. RESULTS: These samples comprised only 2% of pediatric marrow examinations. Hematocrits ranged from 0.12 to 0.31 (mean 0.23). Marrow findings included erythroid hypoplasia (12 of 25, 48%) and hyperplasia (11 of 25, 44%), dyserythropoiesis (2 cases), ringed sideroblasts (2 cases), lymphocytosis (3 cases), and megaloblastic change (1 case). Final diagnoses were transient erythroblastopenia of childhood (15 cases, 60%); iron deficiency and sideroblastic anemia (2 cases each); and congenital dyserythropoietic anemia, anemia of chronic disease, hereditary spherocytosis, and intra-abdominal hemorrhage (1 case each). In two patients, a definitive diagnosis was never made. CONCLUSIONS: Marrow examination contributed to a specific diagnosis in childhood anemia in 92% of cases; the most common diagnosis in this population was transient erythroblastopenia of childhood.

Transient increase in blasts mimicking acute leukemia and progressing myelodysplasia in patients receiving growth factor.

Previous studies of the hematologic effects of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) have emphasized the morphologic changes induced by these growth factors, but few have reported increases in blasts. Here, we report six cases in which growth factor treatment resulted in a marked but temporary increase in peripheral and bone marrow blasts that led to diagnostic confusion with acute leukemia and high-grade myelodysplastic syndromes. Five of the six patients were receiving treatment for hematologic malignant neoplasms, and one patient had an optic nerve germinoma. Growth factor treatment included single agent therapy with G-CSF (three patients), GM-CSF (one patient), or simultaneous therapy with G-CSF and GM-CSF (two patients). In two patients, there was a dramatic increase in blasts in the peripheral blood (39% and 20%), whereas four had substantial increases in blasts on the aspirate smear (8%-41%). One patient had a medium-sized blast cluster shown on the core biopsy specimen. The blasts decreased after removal of growth factor in all patients. The findings indicate that growth factor therapy can cause a substantial transient increase in blasts in the bone marrow and peripheral blood that may be confused with relapse of acute leukemia or progression of a myelodysplastic syndrome.

Myelodysplastic syndromes and acute myeloid leukemia in connective tissue disease after single-agent chemotherapy.

Cytopenias are typical of patients with connective tissue disease (CTD) and are usually related to autoimmune phenomena. In some cases, cytopenia may be the result of treatment with cytotoxic agents. Although multi-drug therapy is known to produce myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in patients with CTD, treatment with single-agent therapy, particularly methotrexate, has rarely been associated with secondary MDS or AML. Blood and marrow samples were studied from 3 men and 5 women with rheumatoid arthritis (5 cases), Behcet's disease (2 cases), and systemic lupus erythematosus (1 case) developing MDS or AML after methotrexate (5 cases), chlorambucil (2 cases), and cytoxan (1 case). The durations of CTD ranged from less than 6 months to more than 10 years. Five patients (63%) presented with MDS including refractory anemia (RA), refractory thrombocytopenia (RT), refractory anemia with excess blasts (RAEB), chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML), and RAEB in transformation. Patients with RT, CMML, and RAEB in transformation developed AML. Of six patients presenting with or developing AML, four had AML with differentiation (FAB M2), one acute myelomonocytic leukemia (FAB M4), and one M4Eo. Inv 16 was seen in the M4Eo and t(8;21) in one case of M2. Four of six patients are alive up to 6 years after diagnosis of AML. One of three patients with MDS is alive 6 months after diagnosis of MDS. Cytopenias in patients with CTD may be due to therapy-related MDS or AML occurring in a setting of single-agent chemotherapy, including methotrexate.

Lymphoid-associated antigen expression by acute myeloid leukemia.

The expression of lymphoid-associated antigens (LAA) on blasts in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myeloproliferative disorders in myeloid blast crisis (MPD/MBC) has often been used to establish a diagnosis of acute mixed lineage leukemia (AMLL). The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of LAA expression in AML and MPD/MBC (Ly + AML); to assess lymphoid differentiation at the genomic level in Ly + AML; and to compare features of Ly + AML with AML and MPD/MBC lacking these antigens (Ly-AML). Seventy-four consecutive cases of AML and MPD/MBC were reviewed for blast morphology, TdT reactivity, and cytochemistry results. Blast immunophenotyping was performed by multiparameter flow cytometry. Acute myeloid leukemia was subtyped according to the FAB classification. Acute myeloid leukemia and MPD/MBC cases expressing one or more of the following antigens, CD2, CD3, CD5, CD7, CD19, or CD20, were considered to be Ly + AML. Immunoglobulin (Ig) and T-cell receptor (TCR) gene rearrangement studies were performed by Southern blot analysis using probes for JH, Jkappa, and JBI/BII. Sixteen of the 74 cases (22%) were identified as Ly + AML. Of these, the T-cell-associated markers CD7, CD2, and CD5 were expressed on 7(44%), 6(38%), and 4(25%) Ly + AML cases, respectively. The B-cell-associated markers CD19 and CD20 were expressed on two cases (13%) and one (6%) case, respectively. The FAB subtypes were similarly represented among Ly + AML and Ly-AML. Expression of LAA did not correlate with TdT positivity. In nine cases of Ly + AML (7 expressing T-cell-associated antigens and two expressing B-cell-associated antigens), Southern blot analysis revealed no Ig or TCR gene rearrangements. These results suggest that expression of CD2, CD5, and CD7 in otherwise straightforward AML should not be taken as evidence of lymphoid lineage commitment and does not warrant a diagnosis of AMLL.

CD117/CD34 expression in leukemic blasts.

CD117 is a transmembrane protein receptor encoded by the c-kit proto-oncogene. The CD117 ligand is stem cell factor, an important hematopoietic regulator. CD117 is present on approximately 4% of normal bone marrow mononuclear cells and in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and chronic myelogenous leukemia in myeloid blast crisis, but rarely in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Initially viewed as a primitive myeloid marker, CD117 has been identified in all FAB subtypes of AML and may predict poor outcome. CD34, a primitive stem cell marker, may also predict poor outcome. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between CD117 and CD34 expression on leukemic blasts and to determine whether CD117 is related to lymphoid-associated antigen (LAA) expression in AML. Consecutive bone marrow samples were studied from cases of AML (30 cases), myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) (4 cases), myeloproliferative disorders in blast crisis (MPD-BC) (6 cases), and ALL (5 cases). Cases were diagnosed according to FAB criteria and included M0 (3 cases), M1 (2 cases), M2 (13 cases), M3 (1 case), M4 (6 cases), M5 (3 cases), M6 (1 case), AML NOS (1 case), RAEB (3 cases), and RAEB-T (1 case). CD117 and CD34 were analyzed by multiparameter flow cytometry. Blasts in 10 de novo AML samples were CD117+/CD34+ in 4 cases, CD117+/CD34-in 3 cases, CD117-/CD34+ in 1 case, and CD117-/ CD34- in 2 cases. Blasts in 20 cases of relapsed AML were CD117+/ CD34+ in 13 cases, CD117+/CD34- in 6 cases, and CD117-/CD34+ in 1 case. Blasts in MDS were CD117+/CD34+ in 3 cases, CD117-/ CD34+ in 1 case. Blasts in MPD-BC were CD117+/CD34+ in 4 cases, CD117-/CD34+ in 2 cases. Blasts in ALL were CD117+/CD34+ in 1 case, CD117-/CD34+ in 1 case, CD117-/CD34- in 3 cases. Of 26 cases of CD117+ AML, CD4 was expressed in 15 (58%) cases, CD7 in 7 (27%) cases, and CD2 in 2 (8%) cases. CD117/CD34 expression did not correlate with FAB subtype of AML. CD117 is borne on most leukemic blasts of myeloid origin (in this study, 87% of AML, 80% of MPD-myeloid BC, and 75% of MDS) and does not exclude expression of LAA. Although CD117 is a receptor for stem cell factor, its expression does not appear to correlate with CD34 positivity.

Mantle cell lymphoma. Morphologic findings in bone marrow involvement.

Although mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), has been well described in lymph nodes, involvement of blood and bone marrow has not been well defined. The authors reviewed involved blood and marrow specimens from 13 patients with MCL to determine patterns of infiltration. These findings were compared to marrow involvement by follicular small cleaved cell lymphoma (SCCL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). Peripheral blood involvement by MCL was present in 5 patients (38%). The circulating lymphoma cells were small (7-10 mu) with slightly folded nuclei. Marrow involvement ranged from 5% to 90% of the marrow space and was predominantly intertrabecular, including nodules and interstitial infiltrates (9 cases each; 68%). Paratrabecular aggregates (6 cases; 46%) and diffuse replacement by lymphoma (3 cases; 23%) were also seen. In SCCL, paratrabecular involvement was seen as were interstitial nodules. Cases of SLL showed diffuse, interstitial or nodular involvement without paratrabecular localization. Cytologic comparison showed nuclei that were angulated in SCCL, round in SLL, and slightly irregular in MCL, with considerable overlap among the groups. The architectural and cytologic findings in marrow involved by MCL show features of both SCCL and SLL, and cannot be used to definitively diagnose MCL.

Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction for bcr/abl fusion in chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) has shown promise as a means of detecting low levels of cells bearing the Philadelphia chromosome (Ph1) and for detecting cytogenetically inapparent ("masked") Ph1 in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). For detection by karyotyping, dividing cells must be used, precluding use of peripheral blood samples in cases with low peripheral blood blast counts. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was performed in 83 bone marrow and 30 peripheral blood samples from patients with CML to compare results with karyotyping and to evaluate utility of this test on peripheral blood samples. Using isolated total cellular RNA and a single primer pair, cDNA was transcribed, amplified, electrophoresed, and probed for bcr/abl fusion involving M-bcr exons 2 and 3 of the bcr gene. Fifty-three samples were from untreated or conventionally treated patients (pre-BMT), and 60 were from patients who had undergone bone marrow transplantation (post-BMT). Fifty of 53 pre-BMT samples were positive by RT-PCR. Two samples, negative by RT-PCR, had complex translocations, t(9;16;22) and t(4;14;22). One case was indeterminate by RT-PCR, but positive on retesting. Forty-five of 53 had Ph1 by karyotyping; 8 were negative, including 5 peripheral blood samples, 2 bone marrow samples with "masked" Ph1, and 1 bone marrow sample with poor growth. Thirty-five of 60 post-BMT samples were positive by RT-PCR. Fourteen of 60 post-BMT samples had Ph1 by karyotyping. Of the RT-PCR+/Ph1- cases, most showed a weak but definite band by RT-PCR, suggesting a low level of the bcr/abl fusion gene. Nineteen patients had concurrent peripheral blood and bone marrow samples analyzed by RT-PCR and karyotyping. Of 16 patients with satisfactory RNA extraction, 15 had concordant results by RT-PCR. Five patients had adequate metaphase cells for karyotypic analysis. All had Ph1 in bone marrow, but were negative in peripheral blood. Our results indicate that RT-PCR for detection of bcr/abl fusion is more sensitive than karyotyping in pre- and post-BMT samples. Furthermore, RT-PCR can be successfully performed on peripheral blood, yielding excellent correlation with bone marrow samples.

Splenic pathology after traumatic injury.

Little is known concerning the pathology of spleens removed for traumatic injury. The authors studied the gross and microscopic features of 44 spleens removed for trauma and received at the Surgical Pathology Division of Parkland Memorial Hospital and 10 normal control spleens from the Medical Examiner's Office, Dallas County, Texas. The mean age of patients undergoing post-traumatic splenectomy was 29.6 years with a male:female ratio of 6:1. The most common procedure done for traumatic splenic rupture was splenectomy (39 of 44 cases); wedge resection or partial splenectomy was done in 5 cases. The mean weight of the spleens was 167 g (181 g in males, 93 g in females, P = .056). Capsular laceration or rupture were noted in 86% of post-trauma spleens, usually involving the superior pole and/or hilum. Subcapsular neutrophilic infiltrates were seen in 7%. Gross evidence of parenchymal hemorrhage was seen in 25%, and microscopic evidence in 68%. Control spleens showed none of these findings. Germinal centers were present in 77% of spleens with germinal center hyperplasia in 55% (including patients 16-59 years old), numerous primary follicles in 45%, mantle zone hyperplasia in 10%, and marginal zone hyperplasia in 41% of patient spleens. Control spleens showed few or none of these findings. No patient spleens had histologic features suggestive of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) or other infection, granulomas (other than lipogranulomas), or infarct. The findings suggest that splenic rupture after trauma may be related to prior immunologic stimulation of the spleen, and that spleens removed for trauma are not equivalent to normal controls.

Characterization of Thy-1 (CDw90) expression in CD34+ acute leukemia.

Thy-1 (CDw90) is a phosphatidylinositol-anchored cell surface molecule which, when coexpressed with CD34 in normal human bone marrow, identifies a population of immature cells that includes putative hematopoietic stem cells. To date, the characterization of Thy-1 expression has been confined largely to normal tissues and cell lines. In this study, we evaluated the frequency and intensity of Thy-1 expression as defined by reactivity with the anti-Thy-1 antibody 5E10 in 38 cases of CD34+ acute leukemia (21 acute myelogenous leukemia [AML], 8 chronic myelogenous leukemia [CML] in blast crisis, and 9 acute lymphoblastic leukemia [ALL]). In 34 of 38 cases (89%) the CD34+ cells lacked expression of the Thy-1 antigen. High-density Thy-1 expression was found in 1 case of CML in lymphoid blast crisis, and low-density Thy-1 expression was identified on a portion of the leukemic cells in 2 cases of AML with myelodysplastic features, and 1 case of CML in myeloid blast crisis, suggesting a possible correlation between Thy-1 expression and certain instances of stem cell disorders such as CML and AML with dysplastic features. In contrast, the dissociation of Thy-1 and CD34 expression in the majority of acute leukemias studied suggests that the development of these leukemias occurs at a later stage than the hematopoietic stem cell. Characterization of Thy-1 expression in acute leukemia may eventually provide insights into the origin of the disease. In addition, separation of leukemic blasts from normal stem cells based on Thy-1 expression may prove useful in assessing residual disease, as well as in excluding leukemic blasts from stem cell preparations destined for autologous bone marrow or peripheral stem cell transplantation.

Breakpoint cluster region, immunoglobulin, and T-cell receptor gene rearrangement analysis in juvenile chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Juvenile chronic myelogenous leukemia (JCML) is a heterogeneous disorder composed of Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) CML, which is similar to CML in adults, and Ph-negative (Ph-) CML, a childhood myelodysplasia resembling chronic myelomonocytic leukemia in adults. These two disorders are not always readily separable by leukocyte alkaline phosphatase (LAP) scoring and by karyotyping, yet they have different courses and outcomes. We compared the results of breakpoint cluster region (bcr) gene rearrangement analysis with LAP score and karyotype in these patients. In addition, analysis for immunoglobulin and T-cell receptor gene rearrangement was done to investigate the possibility of mixed myeloid and lymphoid lineage, which has been shown to occur in childhood acute myelogenous leukemia and CML in blast crisis. Peripheral blood and bone marrow samples from six patients with JCML aged 5 to 19 yr were analyzed. One case was Ph+, and five were Ph- by karyotyping. Two samples showed LAP scores of 5 and 11 (one Ph+ and one Ph-); others were normal. All were digested with EcoRI, HindIII, and BamHI for immunoglobulin heavy and light chains and T-cell receptor beta-chain analysis and, in addition, with BglII for bcr analysis. Samples were hybridized with probes to JH, JK, CT beta, and bcr (Oncor). A bcr rearrangement was shown in the Ph+ sample; all others, including one with a very low LAP score, were negative. No JH, JK, or CT beta rearrangements were detected.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Promyelocytic blast crisis of chronic myelogenous leukemia. A rare subtype associated with disseminated intravascular coagulation.

Two patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) developed blast crisis that morphologically appeared to be the microgranular variant of acute promyelocytic leukemia. This represented 8% of CML patients developing blast crisis from 1984 to 1993. Cytogenetic studies revealed translocation 15;17 in addition to translocation 9;22 that had been documented at initial diagnosis. Both patients had evidence of disseminated intravascular coagulation at the onset or during treatment of blast crisis, which was not documented in any other patients with CML blast crisis. One patient died of sepsis during intensive chemotherapy. The second returned to a chronic phase of the disease after therapy. Although rare, a promyelocytic blast crisis of CML can occur which, as in de novo acute promyelocytic leukemia, has a propensity to produce disseminated intravascular coagulation.

Failure to engraft after bone marrow transplantation: bone marrow morphologic findings.

Few studies have explored bone marrow findings in patients with graft failure or delayed engraftment after bone marrow transplantation (BMT). The authors retrospectively identified 4 patients of 165 transplant recipients who underwent bone marrow examination after BMT because peripheral blood counts had not recovered to expected levels. All patients were women who were 21- to 49-years old (mean 37 years). Three patients underwent autologous BMT; the fourth received peripheral stem cell infusion. Transplants were performed for treatment of Hodgkin's disease, breast carcinoma, and follicular small cleaved cell lymphoma. Three patients received GM-CSF after marrow infusion. The time between transplant and biopsy ranged from 19 to 40 days (mean 22 days). White cell counts ranged from 0.1 to 0.6 x 10(9)/L, hematocrits from .25 to .41, and platelet counts from 10 x 10(9)/L to 39 x 10(9)/L. Aspirate smears were markedly hypocellular in all cases, and markedly hypocellular, and all contained histiocytes with foamy eosinophilic cytoplasm diffusely throughout the biopsy. Acid-fast and Gomori's methenamine-silver (GMS) stains were negative. Serous fat atrophy and marrow fibrosis were not seen. Delayed engraftment after BMT may be associated with a profuse histiocytic proliferation similar to that seen in immunodeficiency, some hematologic disorders, and storage diseases.

Marrow cellularity as a predictor of adequate cell yield for transplantation.

Clear correlations have not been established between bone marrow cellularity before or at marrow harvest and marrow cell yield for transplantation. The authors therefore retrospectively reviewed 204 marrow donations to ascertain whether biopsy cellularity was predictive of nucleated cell yield at harvest, as measured by final cell counts (FCC)/kg body weight. Preharvest and intraoperative biopsy cellularity were highly correlated with each other; moderate correlation was found between intraoperative biopsy cellularity and FCC. Mean cellularity was slightly but significantly higher in samples yielding an FCC greater than 2 x 10(8) nucleated cells/kg (P < 0.01). Biopsy cellularity less than 20%, seen in 4% of specimens, did not consistently correlate with low FCC, defined as less than 2 x 10(8) nucleated cells/kg. More than 2 x 10(8) cells/kg were consistently obtained only when biopsy cellularity was 65% or more. Marrow biopsies performed before harvest can be used to predict intraoperative cell counts at the time of marrow donation, although a cell yield of more than 2 x 10(8) nucleated cells/kg can be assured only with high marrow cellularity.

Reactive plasmacytosis and lymphocytosis in acute myeloid leukemia.

The association of plasmacytosis and lymphocytosis with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has been documented in isolated case reports. We examined 149 cases (134 adults, 15 children) of newly diagnosed AML and found 9 adults (6%) with > or = 5% plasma cells and 1 child and 1 adult with > or = 20% lymphocytes. Lymphocytes constituted 25% and 42% of marrow cellularity in the adult and child respectively and persisted throughout remission in the child's marrow. The percentage of morphologically normal plasma cells ranged from 5% to 13% (mean 7%). Monoclonal immunoglobulins were not detected with immunostaining or flow cytometry. Hypergammaglobulinemia was present in 3 cases, and a monoclonal increase in IgG-kappa in 1. Plasmacytosis was not seen in remission marrows from these patients (n = 4). Lymphocytosis or plasmacytosis occurs in approximately 7% of patients with AML, appears reactive in nature, and may represent an immunological response to tumor. Monoclonal paraproteins may occur without other evidence of B-cell neoplasia.