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Virchows Archiv
Published in: Virchows Archiv 2/2016

01-02-2016 | Review and Perspectives

The heterogeneity of follicular lymphomas: from early development to transformation

Authors: Luc Xerri, Stephan Dirnhofer, Leticia Quintanilla-Martinez, Birgitta Sander, John K.C. Chan, Elias Campo, Steven H. Swerdlow, German Ott

Published in: Virchows Archiv | Issue 2/2016

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Abstract

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is a lymphoma composed of germinal center B cells, i.e., centroblasts and centrocytes, that almost always show at least a focal follicular growth pattern. Most cases have a characteristic CD5-, CD10+, BCL6+, and BCL2+ immunophenotype, and 85 % of cases exhibit the hallmark translocation t(14;18)(q32;q21) involving BCL2 and IGH. Although the typical clinicopathological findings of FL are well recognized, cases with unusual clinical, morphologic, immunophenotypic, and genetic features may pose problems in diagnosis and nomenclature. In the slide workshop organized by the European Association for Haematopathology (EAHP) and the Society for Hematopathology (SH) held in Istanbul, Turkey, unusual variants of FL were discussed based on the submitted cases, including early lesions, localized extranodal presentation, uncommon immunophenotype, rare genetic alterations, diffuse variant, and marginal zone differentiation. Interesting features such as blastoid morphology and unusual progression forms were presented, aiming to understand the genetic basis of transformation. In this report, novel findings and diagnostic challenges emerging from the submitted cases will be highlighted, and new terminologies for some of these lesions are proposed.
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Metadata
Title
The heterogeneity of follicular lymphomas: from early development to transformation
Authors
Luc Xerri
Stephan Dirnhofer
Leticia Quintanilla-Martinez
Birgitta Sander
John K.C. Chan
Elias Campo
Steven H. Swerdlow
German Ott
Publication date
01-02-2016
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Virchows Archiv / Issue 2/2016
Print ISSN: 0945-6317
Electronic ISSN: 1432-2307
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00428-015-1864-y

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