[Use of an immunoenzyme method with monoclonal antibodies in cytologic studies for the optimal diagnosis of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in children].

From January 1987 to April 1988 six children we studied cytologically with the use of alkaline phosphatase-anti-alkaline phosphatase (APAAP) method and monoclonal antibodies (MoP) in order to establish the diagnosis of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. (NHL). Cytologic studies concerned pleural fluid (3 patients) imprints of the lymph node (3 patients), bone marrow smears (2 patients) and cerebrospinal fluid (1 patient). We performed simultaneously routine cytologic and histopathologic studies of the lymph nodes. Antigen T6 (thymocytes) was present in blasts of all patients, which permitted us to classify the blasts as common stage II group according to Reinherz. In all cases we found at least two positive antigen detected by MoP pan T (CD2, CD3, CD5, CD7) in one case--no expression of antigen T3 (CD3) and in two cases no antigen detected by an antibody CD2. Antigen Ia was found in one patient, and weak expression of antigen CALLA (CD10) in one patients. In three patients we showed a simultaneous expression of antigens T4, T8, whereas in two patients they were not observed. One child possessed mature phenotype T4, T6. By using APAAP method with MoP in cytologic studies it was possible to diagnose T-lymphoblastic lymphoma in six children before the results of histopathologic examination of the lymph nodes.