Mantle cell leukemia, prolymphocytoid type: a rarely described form

Leukemic manifestations of mantle cell lymphoma are seen in a minority of c ases, usually associated with extensive tumor. Usually the neoplastic cells in the peripheral blood resemble mantle cells with a mature chromatin patt ern and irregular nuclear contours, or less frequently with a more "blastic " chromatin pattern. A prolymphocytic leukemia with t(11;14)(q13;q32) has p reviously been reported; however, a complete flow cytometric immunophenotyp ic profile was lacking. Mantle cell leukemia, prolymphocytoid type with com plete flow cytometric data has not previously been described and is the pur pose of this report. We report such a case in a 90 year-old female who pres ented with an elevated white blood cell count. The diagnosis was based on f low cytometric immunophenotyping and the cytomorphology of the peripheral b lood combined with cyclin D1 immunohistochemical staining of the bone marro w. We describe our findings and her clinical course in order to heighten aw areness of this previously rarely described entity.