Anaplastic large cell lymphoma: a clinicopathologic analysis

✍ Scribed by Brian F. Skinnider; Joseph M. Connors; Simon B. Sutcliffe; Randy D. Gascoyne

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1999
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 241 KB
• Volume: 17
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0278-0232
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1099-1069(199912)17:4<137::aid-hon642>3.0.co;2-v

✦ Synopsis

The clinicopathologic features of anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) are reviewed. ALCL is a heterogeneous group of tumours, and histologic examination alone is not adequate in providing useful prognostic information. However, using a combination of clinical, phenotypic, and genotypic features, several distinct clinicopathologic entities have been identi®ed. A subset of ALCL as presently de®ned is characterized by a balanced translocation, t(2;5)(p23;q35), resulting in a novel fusion protein (NPM-ALK) that can be readily detected by immunohistochemical methods using antibodies against the ALK protein. Detection of ALK protein, along with other methods for demonstrating the t(2;5), has assisted in identifying a distinct biologic entity within the heterogeneous group of ALCL with signi®cant prognostic implications. It is important to separate these from cases of ALK-negative ALCL, which have a poorer prognosis, and cases of primary cutaneous ALCL, which have an excellent prognosis.