The phenotype of mantle zone lymphoma studied by monoclonal antibodies.

The clinical, pathological and immunological features of a case of mantle zone lymphoma are described. The patient presented at the age of 16 with a history of painless enlargement of the inguinal lymph nodes, biopsy of which revealed a nodular small cell lymphoma. During the course of 11 yr he was treated with total nodal irradiation, splenectomy and combination chemotherapy at different times. A recent lymph node biopsy reviewed along with the previous node biopsies was diagnosed as mantle zone lymphoma. At this stage, the immunological studies showed that the neoplastic lymphoid cells had characteristic markers of mantle zone lymphocytes. He is asymptomatic with mild generalized lymphadenopathy 11 yr after the initial diagnosis. This case illustrates the diagnostic and therapeutic problems which may be encountered. Detailed immunological marker studies with an extended panel of monoclonal antibodies are described.