Plasmablastic lymphomas with MYC/IgH rearrangement: report of three cases and review of the literature

Am J Clin Pathol. 2009 Oct;132(4):597-605. doi: 10.1309/AJCPFUR1BK0UODTS.

Abstract

We report detailed clinicopathologic features of 3 cases of plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) with MYC/IgH rearrangement, representing one third of PBL cases diagnosed at our institution. This study brings the total number of reported cases in the literature to 6. All patients were HIV+ with very low CD4 counts at diagnosis. The involved locations were mediastinum, anus, and bone marrow. Tumors exhibited predominantly immunoblastic/plasmablastic morphologic features and had a plasma cell-like immunophenotype. Bright CD38 expression by flow cytometry had a tendency to be more common in these cases compared with PBL without MYC rearrangement. All cases were positive for Epstein-Barr virus-encoded RNA but lacked human herpesvirus-8 latent nuclear antigen. The 2 patients with follow-up died within 3 months. These findings show that PBL is often associated with MYC/IgH rearrangements and that this finding may portend an aggressive clinical course, suggesting that cytogenetic studies should be routinely applied in cases of PBL.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte, Heavy Chain* / genetics
  • Genes, myc / genetics*
  • HIV Infections / genetics
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / genetics*
  • Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Immunoblastic / pathology*
  • Male

Substances

  • Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains