Korean J Hematol.
2004 Sep;39(3):172-176.
A Case of Low Grade MALT Lymphoma in the Mediastinum with Clinical Appearance of Waldenstr m's Macroglobulinemia
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Internal Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital Inje University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea. yjoo@inje.ac.kr
- 2Department of Pathology, Busan Paik Hospital Inje University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
Abstract
- Low-grade B cell mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma makes up 8% of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. It has been characterized by a prolonged clinical course and persistent disease at the site of origin. Most patients with low-grade B cell MALT lymphoma occur in the stomach, orbit, intestine, lung, thyroid, salivary gland, skin, soft tissues, bladder, kidney, and central nervous system. The diagnosis of MALT lymphoma can be established by a characteristic finding of infiltration of small lymphocytes that are monoclonal B cell and CD5 negative. Bone marrow involvement seems uncommom but has been developed. Waldenstr m's macroglobulinemia (WM) is usually defined as bone marrow infiltration of lymphoplasmacytoid lymphocytes with a high level of circulating macroglobulin IgM. Lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly occurs in 20~40% of WM. It is very hard work to do differential diagnosis between disseminated low-grade B cell MALT lymphoma and WM with organ involvement by a bone marrow examination. We reprot one case of low grade mediastinal MALT lymphoma with bone marrow involvement and a high level of serum monoclonal IgM with clinical appearance of WM.