Burkitt lymphoma versus diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: a practical approach (original) (raw)

Burkitt lymphoma (BL): reclassification of 39 lymphomas diagnosed as BL or Burkitt-like lymphoma in the past based on immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization

PubMed, 2011

Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is a well characterized entity. For atypical findings a term Burkitt-like lymphoma (B-LL) was applied in the past, but the interpretation of the morphological appearances was subjective and poorly reproducible. We used a combined approach (morphology using classical histological staining; immunohistochemistry-IHC; fluorescence in situ hybridization-FISH on interphase nuclei; cytogenetics) to perform a retrospective study on 39 patients diagnosed as BL and B-LL at our department in the years 1982 to 2002. By FISH we demonstrated t(8;14)(q24;q32) in 31 patients; in further two we found a break at 8q24, suggestive of a variant translocation. In three patients with the cytogenetic investigation available we confirmed the findings of FISH--two lymphomas had the t(8;14)(q24;q32), one had t(2;8)(p12;q24). IHC showed CD20, CD10, BCL-6, p53 expression, and Ki-67 antigen in > 95% of the tumor cell population in a majority of the patients. There was a group of 4 patients in whom the t(8;14)(q24;q32) or a break at 8q24 were not found (FISH). These cases were reclassified within the WHO defined grey zone subgroup of B-cell lymphoma unclassifiable with features intermediate between diffuse large cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and Burkitt lymphoma--I-DLBCL/BL. Two further cases were reclassified as DLBCL based on a combined IHC and FISH findings. A lymphoma of one of these patients had breaks at 3q27 (BCL6) and at 14q32 (IGH) suggestive of t(3;14)(q27;q32). The overall survival estimate of 33 patients with the diagnosis of BL was 54%. Most of deaths occurred within 6 months after the tumor diagnosis. The unfavorable clinical outcome appears to be associated with a strong expression of the p53 protein in the tumor cell population. Individually utilized methods in the diagnosis of BL may lead to false diagnostic conclusions. A combined approach helps to establish a more reliable diagnosis of BL and to separate grey zone lymphomas I-DLBCL/BL and DLBCL with morphological mimics of BL to start adequate treatment. I-DLBCL/BL is a non-homogenous group of lymphomas necessitating further analysis in a prospective study.

Clinicopathological Analysis of B Cell Lymphomas, Unclassifiable; with Features Intermediate Between Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma and Burkitt Lymphoma in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Southern India

Indian Journal of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, 2015

B-cell lymphomas, unclassifiable; with features intermediate between large B-cell lymphoma and Burkitt lymphoma (BCLu-DLBCL/BL) is a new entity included in the recent World Health Organization (WHO) classification of Tumours of the Hematopoietic and Lymphoid Tissues (2008) to overcome the problems of difficulty in classifying certain lymphomas having overlapping morphological, immunophenotypical and genetic features. To study the clinicopathological profile of BCLu-DLBCL/BL. Crosssectional study over 3 year period in the Haematology section of Department of Pathology in a large teaching hospital in Southern India from January 2011 to December 2013. All the cases reported as BCLu-DLBCL/BL were collected and the clinical, morphological and immunohistochemical parameters were analyzed. Descriptive statistics. There were seven cases, four males and three females, of age ranging from 20 to 70 years. Five cases had extranodal involvement. Four cases had Burkitt morphology with strong Bcl2 positivity and absent CD10 expression. One case had the morphology and immunophenotype that of typical BL, along with strong positivity to Bcl2 suggesting a double hit hypothesis. Two cases had morphology and immunophenotype of BL with low Ki 67. Three patients on follow up had adverse outcome. BCLu-DLBCL/BL, a provisional category in WHO 2008 is useful in classifying the cases not meeting the criteria for classical BL or DLBCL. Each of these cases was interesting with different sites of involvement, different morphological features and immunophenotype with most of the patients on follow up ending with a grave prognosis. Keywords BCLu-DLBCL/BL Á Burkitt lymphoma Á Diffuse large Bcell lymphoma Á Intermediate features Á WHO 2008 Key Message Though BCLu-DLBCL/BL requires morphological, immunophenotypical and genetic features for definitive diagnosis, nevertheless it helped us to categorize seven cases with Burkitt morphology with atypical immunophenotype, in spite of lack of facilities for genetic studies.

B-cell lymphoma, unclassifiable, with features intermediate between diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and Burkitt lymphoma: study of 39 cases

B-cell lymphoma, unclassifiable (B-UCL), with features intermediate between diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and Burkitt lymphoma, is a poorly characterized entity. Therefore, we investigated cases of B-UCL treated by the Nebraska Lymphoma Study Group (NLSG). We searched the NLSG registry for years 1985-2010 for cases of B-UCL. Immunohistochemical stains and fluorescence in situ hybridization studies for MYC, BCL2 and BCL6 gene rearrangements were performed. Among the 39 cases studied, 54% were male and 46% were female, with a median age of 69 years. The majority of patients presented with advanced-stage disease (62%) and had high (3-5) International Prognostic Index (IPI) scores (54%). The median overall survival (OS) was only 9 months and the 5-year OS was 30%. Patients with low IPI scores (0-2) had a better survival than those with high scores (3-5). The cases were genetically heterogeneous and included 11 'double-hit' lymphomas with rearrangements of both MYC and BCL2 or BCL6. None of the immunohistochemical or genetic features was predictive of survival. This B-cell lymphoma is a morphologically-recognizable entity with a spectrum of genetic abnormalities. New and better treatments are needed for this aggressive lymphoma.

Clinicopathologic Findings in High-Grade B-Cell Lymphomas With Typical Burkitt Morphologic Features but Lacking the MYC Translocation

American Journal of Clinical Pathology, 2007

In the World Health Organization classification, cases with classical Burkitt morphologic features and a very high proliferation fraction but without the MYC translocation are not clearly designated as a separate entity and are usually categorized as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). We identified from our records 33 cases of highly aggressive mature B-cell neoplasms from 8 children and 25 adults with typical Burkitt cytomorphologic, histologic, and immunophenotypic (CD20+/CD10+ and surface immunoglobulin-positive) features. Rearrangement of MYC (MYC+) was present in only 18 of 33 cases, but the proliferation fraction was more than 90% in all MYC-cases (no MYC rearrangement). The immunophenotype of the lymphoma cells in the 2 groups was similar. Although children with MYC+ and MYCneoplasms were treated with chemotherapy regimens appropriate for Burkitt lymphoma, adults with MYClymphomas received less aggressive therapy usually given for DLBCL. Survival analysis showed that adults in the MYCgroup had an inferior outcome compared with adults with MYC+ disease. Provisional identification of MYClymphomas with typical Burkitt morphologic features as an entity separate from DLBCL will facilitate further studies and possible categorization as a separate entity.

The Distinction between Burkitt Lymphoma and Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma with c-myc Rearrangement

Modern Pathology, 2002

To compare immunophenotypic and molecular features between Burkitt lymphoma (BL) and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with c-myc rearrangements (c-myc R DLBCL), we analyzed 18 cases of B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with c-myc R that were confirmed by chromosomal and/or Southern blotting analyses. The cases were histologically classified into 10 BLs and five DLBCLs. The remaining three cases could not be classified because of suboptimal quality of the surgical materials. BLs were from five adults and five children, whereas all DLBCLs were from adults. BLs were positive for CD20 (10/10 cases examined), CD10 (9/ 10), Bcl-2 (1/9), and Bcl-6 (10/10), whereas they were negative for CD3 (0/10) and EBV (0/8), by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) EBER-1 RNA in situ hybridization. c-Myc R DLBCLs were positive for CD20 (5/5), CD10 (2/5), Bcl-2 (3/4), and Bcl-6 (4/4), whereas none of them were positive for CD3 and EBV. A mean of MIB-1 index (MIB-1 ؉ cells/neoplastic cells, %) of BLs (98.1%) was higher than that of c-myc R DLBCLs (66.3%; P < .0001). Somatic mutation of immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene variable region (VH gene) in BLs (four cases) ranged from 0.7 to 4.9% with an average value of 2.3%, whereas those in DLBCLs (three cases) from 8.2 to 32.0% with an average value of 17.0%. It is, therefore, concluded that a growth fraction of nearly 100%, as well as a monotonous proliferation of medium-sized cells and c-myc R , should be of value in the diagnosis of BL, which is probably different from c-myc R DL-BCL. In addition, CD10 ؉ , Bcl-2 ؊ , and low frequency of mutation of the VH gene could be helpful for the histologic distinction of BL from (c-myc R) DLBCL.

Contribution of immunophenotype to the investigation and differential diagnosis of Burkitt lymphoma, double‐hit high‐grade B‐cell lymphoma, and single‐hit MYC ‐rearranged diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma

Cytometry Part B-clinical Cytometry, 2020

Background: There are no immunophenotypic guidelines for the investigation of MYC-rearranged lymphomas. We aimed to identify simple immunophenotypic features that would help to differentiate between MYC-rearranged lymphomas and guide cytogenetic analysis. Methods: We reviewed diagnostic samples from patients diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma (BL), double-hit lymphoma (DHL), MYC-rearranged diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (MYC-DLBCL), and standard (non-MYC-rearranged) DLBCL over the last decade in our Institution. Using flow cytometry (with antibodies CD20, CD10, CD38, bcl-2, Ki-67, FMC-7, CD43, CD27, CD79b, CD23, and CD22) we determined antigen % expression and median-fluorescence intensity ratios (MFIR). The forward scatter (FS) and side scatter (SS) characteristics of tumor B-cells were compared with normal T-cells (B/T ratios) for patients with MYC-rearranged lymphomas. Results: We identified 51 patients of whom 14 had BL, 10 had DHL (6 MYC+/BCL2+; 4 MYC+/BCL6+), 8 MYC-DLBCL, and 19 standard DLBCL. The significant differences