Tertiary lymphoid neogenesis is a component of pulmonary lymphoid hyperplasia in patients with common variable immunodeficiency.

BACKGROUND: Despite reducing pneumonia and other infections, antibody replacement does not appear to treat pulmonary lymphoid hyperplasia (PLH) in patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID). The pathogenesis and optimal treatments remain to be clarified. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to better understand the pathology of CVID-associated lung disease. Tertiary lymphoneogenesis, although a component of interstitial lung disease associated with autoimmune diseases, has not previously been explored in patients with CVID. METHODS: We examined the clinical characteristics and pathologic findings of 6 patients with CVID with nodular/infiltrative lung disease who had biopsy specimens demonstrating PLH. RESULTS: In these subjects regions of PLH contained distinct B- and T-cell zones, with B-cell predominance in 1 patient and T-cell predominance in the others. Colocalization of Ki67, Bcl6, and CD23 within this ectopic lymphoid architecture demonstrated tertiary lymphoneogenesis with active centers of cellular proliferation. One patient received rituximab with improved pulmonary radiologic findings. CONCLUSION: Ectopic lymphoid tissue forming germinal centers suggest tertiary lymphoneogenesis in CVID-associated lung disease. B cell-targeted therapy might disrupt CVID-associated lymphoid hyperplasia.

Recurrent precursor-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia presenting as a cervical malignancy.

A 59 year old woman with a history of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in remission presented with right flank pain. An abdominal ultrasound showed mild to moderate right hydronephrosis due to obstruction, and computed tomography scan showed a bulky mass near the cervix, concerning for cervical or uterine malignancy. A Papanicolaou smear was suspicious for malignancy, and immunocytochemical stains were positive for terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) and cluster of differentiation (CD)-10, focally positive for CD34 and CD79a, and negative for CD3, CD20, and paired box protein-5 (PAX-5). Cervical biopsies showed an infiltrating population of cells with immunophenotype similar to the cells on cervical cytology. The cytologic and histologic workup was compatible with infiltration of the uterine cervix by recurrent precursor-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia. A bone marrow biopsy showed normocellular marrow without evidence of tumor or infiltrative disease. Complete blood count and peripheral blood smear showed no evidence of leukemic involvement. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia diagnosed on cervical Pap smear has been very rarely reported. The majority of cases of hematologic malignancy involving the uterine cervix present with vaginal bleeding. To our knowledge, only three cases of recurrent precursor-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia in the uterine cervix have been reported, two of which occurred in pediatric patients. One pediatric patient presented with vomiting and abdominal pain, and was found to have hydronephrosis on imaging. This is perhaps the first case of precursor-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia diagnosed on cervical cytology in an adult patient with hydronephrosis and without vaginal bleeding.

Thymomas diagnosed during pregnancy: two cases in young women without paraneoplastic or autoimmune disease.

We report 2 cases of thymomas diagnosed during pregnancy. Neither of these 2 patients had paraneoplastic autoimmune conditions or previous neoplasia. The first patient had a 7.3-cm lymphocyte-predominant thymoma with capsular invasion. The second patient was diagnosed through fine needle aspiration biopsy after computed tomography showed multiple mediastinal masses. Although cases of thymoma during pregnancy have been reported, the exact cause has yet to be elucidated. We review the clinical, radiologic, pathologic, and immunohistochemical findings-including those of podoplanin, estrogen receptor, and progesterone receptor-of 2 previously unreported cases, as well as discuss the relationship of malignancy and pregnancy and review the available literature regarding pregnancy and thymoma.

Rarity of malignant mesothelioma prior to the widespread commercial introduction of asbestos: the Mount Sinai autopsy experience 1883-1910.

BACKGROUND: Most malignant mesotheliomas are related to asbestos exposure. Whether malignant mesothelioma occurs in the absence of asbestos exposure remains unsettled. To address this question we reviewed a series of 2,025 autopsies performed at the Mount Sinai Hospital between 1883 and 1910, prior to the widespread commercial introduction of asbestos. METHODS: Retrospective autopsy review. RESULTS: No cases of malignant mesothelioma were identified in 2,025 autopsies performed between 1883 and 1910. CONCLUSIONS: Malignant mesothelioma was rare prior to the widespread commercial introduction of asbestos.

Laparoscopic antrectomy for the treatment of type I gastric carcinoid tumors.

BACKGROUND: While the optimal treatment for type I gastric carcinoid tumors remains controversial, there is evidence to suggest that in multifocal disease, antrectomy may not only control local disease but also may lead to enterochromaffin-like cell (ECL) hyperplasia regression compared to medical and endoscopic treatments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A single institution retrospective review of eight consecutive patients with multifocal type I gastric carcinoid tumor patients with no evidence of metastatic disease was performed from 2005 to 2006. All of these patients underwent laparoscopic antrectomy with Billroth II reconstruction. Patients' preoperative gastrin, chromogranin A levels, and biopsy and surgical specimen slides were compared with postoperative laboratory and biopsy slides. Pathology slides were reanalyzed by a blinded pathologist from our institution for evidence of tumor and ECL hyperplasia regression. RESULTS: All patients tolerated the procedure well with no reoperations or mortalities. Six of eight patient complained of mild reflux which was treated medically. One of eight had a mild wound infection which resolved with a course of cephalexin. Gastrin levels significantly decreased (98.9%) in all patients (P = 0.001). Furthermore, chromogranin A levels also significantly decreased (81.4%). Eight of eight patients showed no evidence of carcinoid tumor after surgery at mean biopsy follow-up of 17 mo (range 2-35 mo), however there was ECL hyperplasia after resection. Four of eight patients (50%) showed regression of ECL hyperplasia on postop biopsy, while the remaining four of eight showed no evidence of regression. CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest case series to investigate the surgical, clinical, and histologic outcomes of laparoscopic antrectomy in type I gastric carcinoid. Our data suggest that laparoscopic antrectomy is a safe and minimally invasive approach to treat nonmetastatic type I gastric carcinoid. All patients had no evidence of gross or microscopic disease at follow-up biopsy and almost half had regression of ECL hyperplasia at follow-up suggesting that antrectomy may be sufficient to prevent tumor recurrence. However, continued regular endoscopic surveillance and medical follow-up of patients with ECL hyperplasia are recommended.

The changing face of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease in the era of molecular EBV monitoring.

Pediatric PTLD is often associated with primary EBV infection and immunosuppression. The aim was to retrospectively review the spectrum of histologically documented PTLD for two time intervals differentiated by changes in use of molecular EBV monitoring. Eleven of 146 patients (7.5%) in 2001-2005 (Era A) and 10 of 92 (10.9%) in 1993-1997 (Era B) were diagnosed with PTLD. The median age at liver transplantation (0.8 and 0.9 yr, respectively) and the median duration between liver transplant and diagnosis of PTLD (0.6 and 0.7 yr, respectively) were similar in both eras. However, patients in Era A presented with significantly less advanced histological disease compared to patients in Era B (p=0.03). Specifically, nine patients (82%) in Era A had Pl hyperplasia/polymorphic PTLD, whereas in Era B, six had advanced histological disease (five monomorphic and one unclassified). Three transplant recipients in Era B died secondary to PTLD, whereas there were no PTLD-related deaths in Era A (p=0.03). Heightened awareness of risk for PTLD, alterations in baseline immunosuppression regimens, implementation of molecular EBV monitoring, pre-emptive reduction in immunosuppression and improved therapeutic options may have all contributed to a milder PTLD phenotype and improved clinical outcomes.

Pagetoid reticulosis after radiotherapy of primary cutaneous anaplastic large-cell lymphoma.

We describe a 60-year-old man with a history of primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma on the chest, who presented with a new scaly red plaque on the same site 11 years after radiation therapy. Histological examination revealed a dense epidermotropic infiltrate of atypical mononuclear cells consistent with pagetoid reticulosis. Immunohistochemistry revealed the infiltrate to be CD4, CD8, and CD30. Remarkably, all the atypical cells were strongly CD30, and furthermore, the CD30 cells were found exclusively in the epidermis. In the initial cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma lesion, the CD4, CD8, and focally CD30 atypical cells were well confined within the dermis with no epidermal component. To our knowledge, the present case seems to be the first description of pagetoid reticulosis presenting at the site of a previously treated dermal anaplastic large cell lymphoma. This case also represents an extreme presentation of epidermotropism and CD30 expression in pagetoid reticulosis.

Pulmonary manifestations of light chain deposition disease.

Light chain deposition disease (LCDD) is a rare condition characterized by extracellular light chain deposition in tissues. Patients commonly have an underlying plasma cell dyscrasia, and produce excess levels of monoclonal light chains. Renal involvement is the most common clinical manifestation. Rarely, light chains are deposited in the lung. We present the pathologic and radiographic findings of three patients with biopsy-proven pulmonary light chain disease and a review of the literature.

Renal benign epithelial nodal inclusions.

There are 3 case series reports describing benign epithelial inclusions in nodal sinuses of perinephric lymph nodes of pediatric patients. The majority of these inclusions were observed in perinephric lymph nodes removed during nephrectomies from pediatric patients with Wilms' tumors. We report 2 cases of benign renal tubular epithelial inclusions located in the perinephric hilar lymph nodes. One of our cases is, to our knowledge, the first case of benign renal epithelial inclusions reported in an adult patient.

Extranodal follicular dendritic cell tumor of the tonsil: report of a diagnostic pitfall and literature review.

Follicular dendritic cell tumor (FDCT) usually arises in the dendritic reticulum cells of the lymph nodes. Extranodal cases are rare; only 24 cases have been reported in the head and neck region, and most are in the oropharynx. Nine cases of primary FDCT of the tonsil have been reported in English-language literature, to which we add the 10th case. This 77-year-old white woman presented with a tonsillar mass that was misdiagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma. She underwent neoadjuvant radiotherapy plus combined oropharyngeal and mandibular resection with radical neck dissection. Eight years later, she presented with dyspnea and was found to have a lung mass with hilar lymphadenopathy. A biopsy specimen was taken from the hilar lymph nodes, and histologic analysis yielded results similar to those found in the original tumor. Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed that FDCT was present at both sites. We wish to highlight this potential diagnostic pitfall because the treatment and prognosis for FDCT are vastly different from the treatment and prognosis for squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil.

Primary bone marrow B-cell lymphoma: report of four cases.

Bone marrow involvement is infrequent at presentation in cases of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. We report four adult patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in whom bone marrow involvement with hematologic manifestations was the predominant clinical feature at presentation. Three patients presented with a leukoerythroblastic blood picture and one with pancytopenia. In each case, the unusual hematologic manifestations, with bone marrow replacement and the presence of immature forms in the peripheral blood, led to consideration of alternative hematologic diagnoses, including acute granulocytic leukemia in three cases and a myelodysplastic syndrome in one. The correct diagnoses were established by immunohistochemistry on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded bone marrow for two cases and by flow cytometry on aspirated bone marrow or peripheral blood lymphocytes for the other two. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of unusual hematologic presentations, particularly in the elderly.

Crystalline inclusions in granulocytic sarcoma.

Two cases of granulocytic sarcoma were found to contain numerous crystalline inclusions identified on hematoxylin-eosin-stained sections as clusters of pointed needlelike crystals present in foci of necrosis or within macrophages. The crystals were negative for chloroacetate esterase and myeloperoxidase. Electron microscopy demonstrated homogeneously dense, bipyramidal structures, indistinguishable from Charcot-Leyden crystals. Granulocytic sarcomas may contain crystalline inclusions similar to Charcot-Leyden crystals; these structures should be distinguished from crystalline immunoglobulin inclusions occurring in cases of plasma cell myeloma and lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma, which may have a similar appearance.

Lymphoid progenitor cells in human tonsils.

To investigate the occurrence of lymphoid progenitor cells in human tonsils, we studied tonsils from children and adults by immunohistochemistry by using a panel of antibodies to antigens associated with lymphoid progenitor cells, including terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT), CD10 (CALLA), CD34, CD99 (p30/32mic2), and CD117 (c-kit), and compared them to reactive lymph nodes. Lymphoid progenitor cells, positive for TdT, CD10, and CD99, but not CD34 or CD117, were readily identified in tonsils from children and adults (TdT, 14 of 15; CD10, 15 of 15; CD99, 11 of 15), but were rarely present in lymph nodes (TdT, 1 of 8; CD10, 1 of 8; CD99, 0 of 8). Lymphoid progenitor cells in tonsils were localized to discrete foci at the periphery of lymphoid lobules adjacent to fibrous septae. Lymphoid progenitor cells are present in human tonsils, and the tonsils are a potential site of postnatal lymphopoiesis. The presence of lymphoid progenitor cells in human tonsils should not be confused with lymphoblastic lymphoma or leukemia.

Hepatic involvement in congenital acute megakaryoblastic leukemia: a case report with emphasis on the liver pathology findings.

We report the case of a 4-week-old infant diagnosed with acute megakaryoblastic leukemia with the t (1;22) (p13, q13) who presented with ascites caused by massive infiltration of hepatic sinusoids by leukemic cells. The bone marrow by microscopy and flow cytometry and the peripheral blood smear did not initially show the presence of blasts. Marrow fibrosis appeared after infiltrative disease in the liver and liver fibrosis. We describe the microscopic liver findings and associated clinical presentation that, in the absence of bone marrow involvement, can be difficult to diagnose as leukemia. Few cases have been reported in the medical literature with the liver as the primary site of involvement in congenital leukemia. Awareness of this unusual clinical presentation and of the characteristic liver pathology may facilitate the pathologic diagnosis.

Low-grade mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma involving the kidney: report of 3 cases and review of the literature.

Low-grade B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue involving the kidney is rare. We report a series of 3 cases. The first case occurred in an 83-year-old woman who presented with back pain. The second case was a 53-year-old man with a history of sarcoidosis who was found, in the course of evaluation of sarcoidosis, to have a right renal mass. The third case occurred in a 72-year-old man who had a history of periorbital mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma and had been treated with surgery and radiation 1 year prior to this presentation. Histologically, all 3 patients showed infiltrate of uniform small-to-medium-sized lymphocytes with irregular nuclear contours and abundant cytoplasm resembling centrocytes or monocytoid lymphoid cells. The first patient received chemotherapy without complications. The second patient underwent a partial nephrectomy and was asymptomatic at the subsequent follow-up. The third patient developed a pulmonary embolism following nephrectomy, and further follow-up is not available.