Am J Hematol. 2002 Dec;71(4):331-5.

CD3-negative, CD20-positive T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia: case report and review of the literature.
Tamayose K, Sato N, Ando J, Sugimoto K, Oshimi K.
Department of Hematology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. tamayose@med.juntendo.ac.jp

We report a case of CD3-negative, CD20-positive T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL). The leukemic cells were of medium-to-large size, mature-looking, and did not have cytoplasmic granules. The leukemic cells were negative for surface CD3, CD2, and CD7 and strongly positive for CD20. T-cell lineage markers such as CD4, CD5, and cytoplasmic CD3 were also positive. A monoclonal rearrangement of the T-cell receptor (TCR) beta chain gene was detected. CD3-negative T-PLL has been reported often, but CD20-positive T-PLL has not. We reviewed seven cases of CD20-positive immature and mature T-cell leukemias, including the present case. Three were immature T-cell leukemias (acute lymphoblastic leukemia), and four were mature T-cell leukemias (granular lymphocytic leukemia, small lymphocytic lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic leukemia, adult T-cell leukemia, and the present case). Splenomegaly was a common feature. However, our case alone had "bright" CD20 expression on the leukemic cells. This is the first report of CD20(+) T-PLL. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

 

PMID: 12447967 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]