HISTOPATHOLOGY AND MOLECULAR ANALYSIS OF 3 CASES OF SPLENIC LYMPHOMA WITH VILLOUS LYMPHOCYTES

Splenic lymphoma with villous lymphocytes (SLVL) is a low grade lympho proliferation characterized by a massive splenomegaly, an absence of l ymphadenopathy and the presence in the peripheral blood of atypical B- lymphocytes with hairy-cell appearance. We have studied the morphologi cal, immunological and molecular characteristics of 3 cases of SLVL. S LVL presented on blood smears characteristic irregularities of the pla sma membrane consisting in thin and short villi unevently distributed The main phenotype was CD5-, CD11c+, and CD25-, but individual SLVL ca ses can not be identified by using immunohistochemical criteria alone. Clonal rearrange rearrangements of the immunoglobulin heavy chain gen e were found in all 3 cases and in one case presented a bcl2-JH rearra ngement. SLVL are clonal B-cell lymphoproliferations and can be associ ated with t(14 ; 18) translocation.