Lymphocyte populations with abnormal kappa:lambda ratios in reactive lymphoid hyperplasia.

The lymph node biopsies of 12 patients with lymphadenopathy due to reactive hyperplasia contained lymphocyte populations with increased percentages of B-cells and abnormal numbers of cells with single class surface immunoglobulins. Ten patients were followed for periods of 3-30 months: one developed a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and one Hodgkin's disease. One other has persisting lymph node enlargement. Two patients had nonlymphoid malignancies. The other six remain well without lymphadenopathy. Twenty-five of 40 patients with reactive lymph node hyperplasia and normal kappa/lambda ratios followed for 9-36 months had a similar incidence of lymphoid malignancy and persistent lymph node enlargement. The follow-up data so far available do not support a hypothesis that reactive lymphoid hyperplasia with increased numbers of cells with single class surface immunoglobulin is associated with higher morbidity than reactive hyperplasia containing the usual polytypic lymphocyte populations.