Differentiation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia from Hodgkinʼs disease using immunologic marker studies

Abstract

Four consecutive lymph node biopsies from 1 patient showed features typical of lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin''s disease. When the patient developed lymphocytosis of the peripheral blood and a staging bone marrow biopsy was found to have nodular lymphoid infiltrates atypical for Hodgkin''s disease, the 4th node biopsy was performed in order to perform immunologic marker studies. A monoclonal cell population was identified, and the lymph nodes were interpreted as chronic lymphocytic leukemia mimicking lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin''s disease. The diagnostic usefulness of immunologic marker studies is stressed.