SIMULTANEOUS EXPRESSION OF CD2 ON A B-CELL, SMALL LYMPHOCYTIC NEOPLASM

An unusual neoplasm, best classified as a B-cell chronic lymphocytic l eukemia on the basis of cytofluorographic, immunohistologic, and gene rearrangement analysis also co-expressed the T-cell associated marker CD2 (sheep erythrocyte receptor), but without other cell markers restr icted to T cells. This case was associated with a more aggressive cour se than typically seen with B-CLL or malignant lymphoma, small lymphoc ytic type, implying along with previous reports that CD2 expression ma y serve as a marker of small lymphocytic tumor cell behavior and the u ltimate clinical course. Thus, surface phenotypic analysis of these pa rticular hematopoietic neoplasms may serve not only for identification of the malignancy, but could also render prognostic information. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.