Am J Clin Pathol. 2003 Nov;120(5):760-6.

CD23 expression in mantle cell lymphoma: clinicopathologic features of 18 cases.
Schlette E, Fu K, Medeiros LJ.
Dept of Hematopathology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Unit 72, Houston, TX 77030, USA.

The distinction between small lymphocytic lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic leukemia (SLL/CLL) and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) has important clinical implications. Typically, SLL/CLL is CD23+, whereas MCL is CD23-. However, CD23 is expressed in a subset of MCLs, and the clinicopathologic features of patients with these neoplasms are not well described. We report 18 CD23+ MCLs, detected by flow cytometry in all cases (dim intensity, 16; bright intensity, 2), 5 (28%), also positive by immunohistochemical analysis. There were 13 men and 5 women (median age, 56 years), 5 of whom died (median survival, 46 months). Seventeen (94%) had bone marrow involvement. Lymphadenopathy (14 cases [78%]), splenomegaly (11 cases [61%]), and leukemic involvement (10 cases [56%]) were common. Five cases (28%) had blastoid morphologic features. The frequency of CD23 expression by MCL is method-dependent, being typically dim and most commonly detected by flow cytometry. In this small study group, bone marrow and leukemic involvement were relatively common.

PMID: 14608904 [PubMed - in process]