FLOW CYTOMETRIC AND GENOTYPIC ANALYSIS OF PRIMARY NON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMA OF BONE

Primary malignant lymphoma of bone presents both diagnostic and therap eutic problems. No previous study has addressed the use of flow cytome try in the immunophenotypic evaluations of bone lymphomas. A 41-year-o ld Japanese female presented with a large lytic lesion in the right fe mur. Biopsies from the lesion were examined by light microscopy, immun ohistochemistry, 3-color flow cytometry and Southern blotting. Microsc opic examination showed a diffuse,, noncleaved large cell lymphoma. Th e lymphoid cells were positive for mature B cell antigens and the phen otype was: CD5(-), CD10(-), CD19(+), 20(+), CD22(+), IgG(+), IgA(-), I gM(-), kappa(-), lambda(+), CD1(-), CD2(-), CD3(-), CD4(-), CD7(-), CD 8(-). Southern blot analysis revealed rearranged bands on both heavy-a nd lambda light-chain genes, in contrast to germline configuration on T cell antigen receptor (beta, gamma and delta) genes. Flow cytometry, in conjunction with morphologic and other molecular techniques, can p rovide a rapid and accurate means of diagnosing primary lymphoma of bo ne. In addition, the capabilities of flow cytometry to assess cell pro perties/constituents can be utilized in detailed analysis of adhesion molecules and activation antigen which may lead to better prediction o f the prognosis of this group of lymphomas, and may provide further im portant data for the therapeutic decision making process.