[Mantle cell lymphoma vs. atypical chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Use of immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry and molecular biology for their adequate typing].

The differential diagnosis of certain B CD5+ lymphoproliferative processes, such as mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) and atypical chronic lymphocytic leukemia (ACLL), is difficult. The aim of this study was to correlate morphological findings, cyclin D1 (cD1) detection by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunophenotype by flow cytometry (FC) with the results obtained by molecular biology in this type of neoplasias. We analyzed 20 samples classified as B CD5+ lymphoproliferative processes by FC. PCR was used for t(11;14) bcl-1/IgH determination. Histopathological and IHC studies for cD1 were done in 14 cases. Twelve cases were diagnosed as MCL, with positive cD1 in 5 (5/9), five as ACLL and three as B lymphoproliferative process. PCR revealed t(11;14) in 6/12 MCL and negative results in the other groups (0/8). Molecular biology evidenced translocation in 4/5 MCL positive for cD1 with IHC. The presence of translocation could be demonstrated by IHC and PCR in 7/12 MCL: 4 with both techniques, 2 with PCR alone, and 1 with IHC alone. These findings show a significant association between cD1 by IHC and bcl-1/ IgH gene detection by PCR, which implies that both techniques are complementary for MCL typing.