Discordant lymphoma consisting of mantle cell lymphoma and angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma: homology or heterogeneity?

OBJECTS: To investigate the pathologic characteristic of discordant lymphoma with mantle cell lymphoma and angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma.

METHODS

The clinicopathologic data of cases of discordant lymphoma were organized and clinicopathologic features were analyzed by literature review.

RESULTS

A 49-year-old male was taken to the hospital due to the lymphandenopathy in January 2007 and mantle cell lymphoma was diagnosed in the pathology report. EBV-EBER staining was negative. Active chemotherapy was received and the patient achieved complete response. Seven years later since diagnosis, in 2014 scattered rashes were found. A skin biopsy was taken and the result was not mantle cell lymphoma but angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma. EBV-EBER positivity was detected. Clonal T cell receptor gamma locus gene rearrangements were detected while no clonal immunoglobin heavy locus gene rearrangement was detected in the skin sample.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first report on discordant lymphoma consisting of mantle cell lymphoma and angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma. There seems to be no relation these two different kinds of lymphoma, and EBV infection might prompt the development of angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma after transplantation. Rash is a common clinical manifestation when T cell lymphoma develops after treatment for MCL.