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R F Dorfman

Publications and source records attributed to R F Dorfman.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Infrequent detection of Toxoplasma gondii genome in toxoplasmic lymphadenitis: a polymerase chain reaction study.

The diagnosis of toxoplasmic lymphadenitis is currently established by histologic evaluation with confirmation by serologic studies. We used a sensitive and specific polymerase chain reaction methodology for the identification of toxoplasmic genomes previously reported by others to investigate whether this technology could contribute to the diagnosis. We were able to reliably detect toxoplasmic genomes in paraffin-embedded tissues of toxoplasmic encephalitis and myocarditis, and serial dilution studies indicated a high degree of sensitivity. Nonetheless, we identified toxoplasmic genomes in frozen tissue from only one of nine cases of toxoplasmic lymphadenitis. In the one positive case, only one of three frozen samples from the lymph node biopsy was positive, indicating a focal infection within the lymph node. It is concluded that polymerase chain reaction studies, at their current level of sensitivity, are not of great use in contributing to the evaluation of cases of suspected toxoplasmic lymphadenitis, which continues to be best diagnosed by accurate histopathologic examination.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Enhanced staining for Leu M1 (CD15) in Hodgkin's disease using a secondary antibody specific for immunoglobulin M.

The utility of staining for Leu M1 (CD15) as a diagnostic aid in Hodgkin's disease has been questioned because of a relative lack of specificity and sensitivity. Furthermore, interpretation is often made difficult by staining that tends to be weak and focal. Because the murine monoclonal anti-Leu M1 antibody is of immunoglobulin M type, it is reasonable to wonder whether improved immunohistochemical staining might result from use of a secondary goat antibody specific for the mouse mu heavy chain instead of the traditional one against mouse immunoglobulin. The two methods were compared, using a biotin-avidin detection system, on paraffin sections from 15 cases of Hodgkin's disease: 9 nodular sclerosing, 1 mixed cellularity, and 5 of nodular lymphocytic and histiocytic (L&H) type. In the nodular sclerosing/mixed cellularity group, the mu-specific detection method resulted in a greater number of cases with reactive Hodgkin's cells (7 versus 5), stained an average of more than three times as many neoplastic cells in each case (49% versus 14%), and usually produced staining that was distinctly more intense, often in a membrane and paranuclear distribution characteristic of Leu M1 in Hodgkin's cells. In the noLeu M1 in Hodgkin's cells. In the nodular L&H group, 1 case showed weak, focal staining with the newer method. None of the L&H cases stained using the traditional technique. It is concluded that use of a second-stage antibody that is directed specifically against mu heavy chains results in an improvement in immunohistochemical staining for Leu M1 in paraffin sections, which is of practical significance.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Warthin-Finkeldey polykaryocytes demonstrate a T-cell immunophenotype.

Warthin-Finkeldey polykaryocytes have been described in various benign and malignant lymphoid conditions since their initial identification in tonsils of patients in the prodromal stage of measles. However, the nature of these multinucleated giant cells is obscure. The authors studied the immunohistochemical profile of the Warthin-Finkeldey-type giant cells in three cases of lymphoid proliferations (two reactive, one neoplastic) containing many multinucleated cells using a panel of paraffin-reactive antibodies. Warthin-Finkeldey polykaryocytes demonstrated reactivity with Leu22 (CD43), anti-CD3, and OPD4, indicating that these cells are multinucleated T lymphocytes. The significance of these results with respect to the disorders in which these cells are found and their possible role in pathogenesis of disease are discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Follicular lymphomas of the gastrointestinal tract. Pathologic features in 31 cases and bcl-2 oncogenic protein expression.

The gastrointestinal tract is the most common site for extranodal lymphomas, but follicular lymphomas involving the gut are rare. To study their pathologic features and bcl-2 expression, 31 follicular lymphomas of the GI tract were reviewed and unstained paraffin sections from 24 of the cases were immunohistochemically stained using a monoclonal antibody for the peptide product of the proto-oncogene bcl-2. The most common site of lymphoma involvement was the small intestine, especially the terminal ileum. Gastric lymphomas tended to present clinically with symptomatic ulcers and small intestinal lesions presented with obstruction. Five cases involving the terminal ileum or colon had a gross appearance of multitudinous mucosal polyps and were considered to represent examples of "multiple lymphomatous polyposis." Enhanced expression of the bcl-2 oncogenic protein was detectable in lymphoma cells in 75% of cases and at lower levels in normal lymphoid cells in most cases. Small cleaved or mixed cell lymphomas were more likely to show enhanced expression than were large cell cases. Reactive germinal centers showed no bcl-2 staining. It is concluded that follicular GI lymphomas are associated with distinctive pathological features. In their tendency to express bcl-2, these neoplasms resemble their lymph node-based counterparts. Immunohistochemical staining for enhanced bcl-2 expression is of potential diagnostic utility in distinguishing between follicular lymphoma and follicular lymphoid hyperplasia in the gastrointestinal tract. The relevance of the results to lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) is discussed.

Female↗
PubMed1991

Clinical significance of morphologic subdivision in diffuse large cell lymphoma.

Although diffuse large cell lymphomas can be morphologically divided into large cell (DLC) and immunoblastic (IBL) subtypes, the clinical significance of this subdivision remains controversial. The initial diagnostic materials from 85 patients with recorded diagnoses of diffuse large cell lymphoma who were treated at Stanford between 1975 and 1986 with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin (Adriamycin; Adria Laboratories, Columbus, OH), vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP); methotrexate, bleomycin, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and dexamethasone (M-BACOD); or methotrexate, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone, and bleomycin (MACOP-B) chemotherapy were retrospectively reviewed by a panel of hematopathologists and classified according to morphologic criteria of the Working Formulation. Based on the criterion of agreement of two of three observers, 60 patients were classified as having DLC, 19 as having IBL, and the lymphomas in 6 patients could not be additionally classified. No significant differences in complete response (CR) rate, freedom from disease progression (FFP), or overall survival were found between the DLC and IBL groups. There was also no significant difference in prognosis between DLC cases additionally subclassified as large cleaved cell (16 patients) and those with large non-cleaved cell (36 patients). Although IBL is considered to be a high-grade lymphoma, the authors concluded that it does not differ significantly in prognosis from DLC lymphoma and, therefore, does not justify a modified treatment selection based on IBL morphologic type alone. Definitive evaluation of the prognostic significance of morphologic subdivision may require a larger cohort of uniformly treated patients.

Actuarial Analysis↗
PubMed1991

Utility of molecular genetic analysis for the diagnosis of neoplasia in morphologically and immunophenotypically equivocal hematolymphoid lesions.

The authors reviewed retrospectively the results of molecular genetic analysis of 175 hematolymphoid lesions to assess the diagnostic utility of genotyping (analysis for immunoglobulin or beta-chain T-cell receptor gene rearrangements). All cases had been genotyped, and most were also immunophenotyped. Cases were assigned to control (90 cases) or problem groups (85 cases), depending on the absence or presence respectively of diagnostic uncertainty remaining after conventional (morphologic and immunophenotypic) analysis. All control cases had unequivocal morphologic features of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and had appropriate lineage-specific gene rearrangements, but immunostaining was almost as sensitive in demonstrating phenotypes that were diagnostically abnormal as well as lineage-specifying. However, genotyping was clearly diagnostically useful in the problem cases, which included a heterogeneous mixture of nodal and extranodal biopsy specimens of malignant (mostly NHL) and benign lesions. Genotyping demonstrated the appropriate absence or presence of gene rearrangements in 58 of 81 problem cases (72%) ultimately diagnosed as benign or malignant respectively, excluding four cases of Hodgkin's disease; in 25 cases (31%) this was judged to be essential to diagnosis. In the remaining problem cases genotyping did not contribute positively to diagnosis, but in no case was genotyping misleading when cautiously interpreted with primary reliance on conventional analysis and with knowledge of known causes of potentially misleading results, both positive and negative. It is concluded that although genotyping is highly sensitive and specific for hematolymphoid neoplasia, it provides little or no benefit in cases that are unequivocally malignant by conventional analysis, in cases of suspected Hodgkin's disease (HD), or for the sole purpose of lineage assignment. However, in cases whose diagnosis is uncertain after conventional analysis, the high yield of useful information from genotyping with careful interpretation warrants its application.

Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte↗
PubMed1991

Monocytoid B-cell lymphoma: a study of 36 cases.

We have studied 36 cases of monocytoid B-cell lymphoma (MBCL). We confirm the predilection for females (30 of 36; ratio, five women to one man). The median age was 65 years (range, 29 to 85 years). Monocytoid B-cell lymphoma characteristically involves peripheral lymph nodes (30 of 36) with a propensity for paraparotid or intraparotid nodes. Salivary glands were affected in five patients. Other extranodal sites of involvement included breast, thyroid, stomach, and soft tissue of chest wall. Eight patients manifested with Sjögren's syndrome, one had systemic lupus erythematosus, one presented initially with Raynaud's phenomenon, and two had a monoclonal gammopathy. "Composite lymphomas" were encountered in seven patients. In addition, association with or progression to a higher-grade lymphoma, ie, mixed small and large cell (one) and large cell (six), was observed in seven patients and was associated with a more aggressive behavior of the lymphoma. Immunohistochemical studies performed on biopsy sections from 20 patients confirmed the B-cell nature of MBCL. An average reactivity of less than 10% of the monocytoid B cells with the proliferation marker Ki-67 was demonstrated, in keeping with the indolent behavior of MBCL. Despite our observation of follicular lymphomas frequently accompanying MBCL, the t(14;18) chromosomal translocation does not appear to play a pathogenetic role for MBCL, as determined by molecular studies for the t(14;18) chromosomal translocation and immunologic studies for the BCL2 protein. Our observations also provide support for the proposal that there is an overlap between MBCL and "MALT lymphomas" (those arising from mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue).

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Metastatic carcinoma in lymph nodes simulating "syncytial variant" of nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's disease.

The authors report the histories of two patients with undifferentiated carcinoma metastatic to lymph nodes simulating the "syncytial variant" of nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's disease. One of the patients initially was treated for Hodgkin's disease, but the clinical evolution was more typical of carcinoma. Both lesions were characterized histologically by noncohesive aggregates of large neoplastic cells with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm and conspicuous nucleoli. Although cells compatible with diagnostic Reed-Sternberg cells were identified in an "appropriate" cellular background in both patients, the diagnosis of carcinoma was supported by intense cytokeratin immunoreactivity. Subtle histologic clues that should suggest the possibility of metastatic carcinoma in a patient whose morphologic data suggests the syncytial variant of nodular sclerosing Hodgkin's disease include sinus infiltration, phagocytosis of neutrophils by tumor cells, marked nuclear anaplasia, and the presence of spindle-shaped tumor cells.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Histopathology of bacillary angiomatosis of lymph node.

Bacillary angiomatosis, a recently characterized pseudoneoplastic vascular proliferation caused by a bacterium identical or related to the cat-scratch disease bacillus, usually presents as cutaneous lesions. We report the histologic findings of this disease involving the lymph nodes of two immunocompromised patients. The lymph nodes showed patchy involvement by coalescent nodules of proliferated blood vessels lined by plump endothelial cells with pale cytoplasm. There were foci exhibiting mild to moderate nuclear atypia. Although neutrophil infiltration was prominent in one case, it was minimal in the other. The interstitium was formed by pink-staining material in hematoxylin-eosin-stained sections, and this proved to be aggregated bacilli on Warthin-Starry stain. Recognition of this potentially fatal disease is important because it is curable with antibiotics.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Inflammatory pseudotumor of lymph nodes. Additional observations and evidence for an inflammatory etiology.

Inflammatory pseudotumor of lymph nodes (IPT), a recently described benign cause of lymphadenopathy, was studied in 14 patients using paraffin-section immunohistochemistry. All biopsies showed a proliferation of spindle cells (small blood vessels, histiocytes, and "activated" fibroblasts resembling myofibroblasts) containing a mixture of inflammatory cells without atypia and involving the connective tissue framework (hilum and sinuses) of the lymph node. Ten patients had additional histologic features of IPT originally described (extranodal extension, obliterative vasculitis, and endothelial infiltration), and nine of these had associated fever of unknown origin, which in some was relieved by biopsy alone. Additional features observed focally in some cases but not previously described included lymph node parenchymal infarction, fibrinoid vascular necrosis, karyorrhexis, and involvement of only part of the lymph node. Immunostaining showed the lymphoid infiltrate to be predominantly of T-lineage (except for plasma cells), only a minority of which marked as T-helper cells. Numerous mononuclear cells resembling histiocytes were identified, some of which had a spindled shape but reacted with an antibody (KP1) of myelomonocytic specificity. Large fibroblastic cells expressed alpha-muscle actin but not desmin, similar to myofibroblasts in granulation tissue. The morphologic and immunohistologic features were similar to those in inflammatory pseudotumors of spleens and livers also studied, but the lack of simultaneous lymph node involvement argued against a common etiology. The findings suggest that the mass lesion of IPT is produced in response to localized lymph node inflammation or injury and further exclude hematolymphoid or mesenchymal neoplasia as a cause.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Similar outcome of treatment of B-cell and T-cell diffuse large-cell lymphomas: the Stanford experience.

Although previous studies have suggested a relatively poor prognosis for some patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma, the clinical significance of immunologic phenotype in diffuse large-cell lymphoma (DLCL) remains controversial. One hundred one patients with a uniform morphologic diagnosis of DLCL treated at Stanford between 1975 and 1986 with cyclophosphamide, Adriamycin (doxorubicin; Adria Laboratories, Columbus, OH), vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP), methotrexate, bleomycin, Adriamycin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and dexamethasone ([M]BACOD), or methotrexate, Adriamycin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone, and bleomycin (MACOP-B) chemotherapy were studied with regard to immunologic phenotype. Immunologic analysis, performed on frozen or paraffin-embedded tissue, identified 77 cases of B-cell origin, 21 cases of T-cell origin, and three cases that lacked B-cell or T-cell markers. Analysis of complete remission (CR) rates (84% v 95%), 5-year actuarial freedom from disease progression (38% v 53%), and 5-year actuarial overall survival (52% v 79%) showed no statistically significant differences in prognosis between B- and T-cell patients, respectively. The 5-year actuarial survival of patients with stage IV T-cell DLCL (56%) also did not differ in a statistically significant way from stage IV B-cell patients (36%). We conclude that treatment selection for DLCL should not be based on immunologic phenotype alone.

Actuarial Analysis↗
PubMed1990

Successful treatment of metastatic thymic carcinoma with cisplatin, vinblastine, bleomycin, and etoposide chemotherapy.

Thymic carcinomas are rare malignant neoplasms of the thymic epithelium that are distinguished from the malignant thymomas by the presence of cytologic atypia. Thymic carcinomas may metastasize outside of the thorax and are associated with a very poor prognosis. Complete responses of thymic carcinoma to chemotherapy alone have not been reported. A 21-year-old man with metastatic undifferentiated carcinoma of probable thymic origin is presented who achieved a pathologic complete response with cisplatin, vinblastine, and bleomycin chemotherapy. Additional consolidative chemotherapy with cisplatin and etoposide was administered. The patient remains disease-free 5 years after diagnosis. Cisplatin, vinblastine, and bleomycin chemotherapy appears to have significant activity against thymic carcinoma.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Immunohistochemical and cytogenetic studies indicate that malignant angioendotheliomatosis is a primary intravascular (angiotropic) lymphoma.

The authors performed immunohistochemical and cytogenetic studies in a 73-year old man with malignant angioendotheliomatosis. The patient was referred for evaluation of fever of unknown origin, hepatic failure, and neurologic deterioration. Examination of a muscle biopsy revealed numerous, noncohesive atypical mononuclear cells within small vessels. These cells stained positively with a pan-leukocyte marker CD45(PD7/26/16) and with a B-cell marker L26 but negatively with Factor VIII-related antigen, an endothelial cell marker. Peripheral blood obtained before chemotherapy was cultured and analyzed by the G-band method. A new translocation and numerous chromosomal aberrations were identified. The major cell line karyotype was 53,XY, +X, +5q?,-6, +i(6p), +7, -10, +11, -12, +12p-, +12p-, +18, +mar1, +mar2, t(1;3)(p22;p21),3q+,8p+. This is the first cytogenetic study performed in a case of malignant angioendotheliomatosis. Our findings demonstrate that the neoplastic cells in this disorder circulate in the peripheral blood and provide further evidence that malignant angioendotheliomatosis is a diffuse intravascular neoplasm of lymphoid origin. Furthermore, the authors conclude that this malignant lymphoproliferative disorder should be reclassified as a primary intravascular (angiotropic) lymphoma.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Malignant histiocytosis. A reassessment of cases previously reported in 1975 based on paraffin section immunophenotyping studies.

Malignant histiocytosis (MH) is a term that has been used to describe a syndrome in which there is a systemic proliferation of cells that have the cytologic appearance of atypical histiocytes. Biopsy materials from 15 patients with malignant lymphoma diagnosed as malignant histiocytosis in a previous study reported in 1975 were analyzed by a panel of antibodies and reclassified using current nosologic concepts of malignant lymphoma. The antibodies used comprised reagents detecting a formalin-resistant epitope on B-cells (L26), T-cells (anti-CD3, anti-leu 22 [CD43], and UCHL1 [CD45RO]), monocyte/macrophage-derived cells (KP1 [CD68]), as well as antibodies that detect leukocyte common antigen (PD7 [CD45RB]), and a formalin-resistant epitope of Ki-1 (Ber-H2 [CD30]). The authors found that nine lymphomas had a profile consistent with T-lineage, including six in which Ki-1 (CD30) was coexpressed, and two were B-lineage. Three lymphomas showed no specific lineage characteristics although two were Ki-1 (CD30) positive, and none had expression of KP1 (CD68). The 12 lymph node biopsy specimens showed a variety of patterns of involvement, including sinusoidal, paracortical, and diffuse; the spleens showed predominantly red pulp involvement. A 15th case was believed most consistent with a virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome. These findings support previous suggestions that the majority of cases diagnosed as MH represent T-lineage-associated hematolymphoid neoplasms, and that only a rare case will be of monocyte/macrophage origin. It is suggested that the term MH be subsumed under the rubric of large cell lymphoma and unless there are compelling immunohistochemical data to support a histiocytic origin, that the term MH be abandoned in favor of a more accurate descriptive term, such as sinusoidal large cell lymphoma.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Primary large-cell lymphoma of the thymus: a diffuse B-cell neoplasm presenting as primary mediastinal lymphoma.

Primary mediastinal nonlymphoblastic non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NLNHL) has distinct clinical, histologic (diffuse large-cell morphology, often with sclerosis and clear cytoplasm), and immunohistochemical features (predominantly B-cell lineage, usually immunoglobulin-negative), which suggest origin from a unique B-cell population. The thymus has a resident population of B cells with a unique immunophenotype, and can be involved by primary mediastinal NLNHL, in some cases selectively. Fifteen cases of NLNHL involving the thymus were studied by paraffin-section immunohistochemistry using antibodies to formalin-resistant epitopes of B cells (4KB5 [CD45RA] and L26 [CD20]) and T cells (L60 [CD43] and UCHL1 [CD45RO]). All were diffuse large-cell or immunoblastic lymphomas with sclerosis, and were also similar to primary mediastinal NLNHL in clinical features. Neoplastic cells stained with L26 in all but one case, which stained with 4KB5 and an antibody to a leukocyte-common antigen (PD7/26 [CD45RB]), and were uniformly nonreactive with L60 (with one exception) and UCHL1. Intermingled small lymphocytes were uniformly L26-negative and positive for T-cell markers, even in one case with atypia suggesting a lymphoma of mixed morphology. These findings demonstrate that primary thymic and primary mediastinal NLNHL are similar B-lineage neoplasms, and support previous suggestions that both may originate in thymic B cells.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Spindle cell neoplasms of lymph nodes of probable reticulum cell lineage. True reticulum cell sarcoma?

Primary spindle cell neoplasms involving hematolymphoid organs are extremely rare. We present four cases of spindle cell neoplasms of unusual phenotype arising within lymph nodes. Two of the four cases showed morphologic and immunophenotypic features suggestive of interdigitating reticulum cell lineage; these cases expressed several macrophage antigens and S-100 protein but not CD1. The other two cases showed evidence suggestive of dendritic reticulum cell lineage. Both cases expressed HLA-DR, several macrophage antigens, complement receptors C3b and C3d; one case expressed R4/23; both showed the presence of desmosomes on ultrastructural examination. A germline configuration for the immunoglobulin heavy chain and beta-T--cell receptor genes was detected in all four cases. Of the two patients in the first group, one had local recurrence of tumor; the other died of widespread metastases. Of the two patients in the second group, both are alive and well at 12 and 27 months follow-up, respectively.

Adult↗