LYMPHOCYTOSIS OF LARGE GRANULAR LYMPHOCYTES IN PATIENTS WITH HODGKINS-DISEASE

Clonal disorders of large granular lymphocytes (LGL) of either CD3- (N K cell) or CD 3+ (T-cell) phenotype have been described, B-cell malign ancies such as hairy cell leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma have bee n observed in association with the T-cell type of LGL leukemia, Here w e report the occurrence of LGL lymphocytosis in four patients with Hod gkin's disease, Immunophenotyping studies showed that these LGL were C D 3- in three patients and CD3+ in the other, LGL were polyclonally ex panded in both patients in whom clonality could be assessed. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.