PRIMARY CENTRAL-NERVOUS-SYSTEM T-CELL LYMPHOMA WITH A PREDOMINANT CD8IMMUNOPHENOTYPE

Background. Primary T-cell lymphomas of the central nervous system are uncommon neoplasms. Methods. A case of a primary central nervous syst em T-cell lymphoma in a 66-year-old female who died 8 months after sur gery is described. The biopsy specimen was evaluated by routine histol ogy, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, and Southern blotting/DNA h ybridization. Results. The neoplasm was composed of pleomorphic medium and large cells. Virtually all of the neoplastic cells reacted with a ntibodies to CD3, CD5, and CD8. Multiple rearranged bands were detecte d with the T-cell receptor beta-chain gene probe. Conclusion. To the a uthors' knowledge, this is the first description of a primary central nervous system T-cell lymphoma composed of a predominant population of CD8-expressing T cells, and the first case confirmed by Southern blot ting/DNA hybridization.