Relevance of IgVH gene somatic hypermutation and interphase cytogenetics in lymphomatous presentation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma.

Background: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) are regarded as the same entity, with SLL restricted to tissue cases featuring no leukemic phase. In this study, the authors evaluate a group of SLL cases for cytogenetic abnormalities and IgVH gene mutational status to illicit differences between CLL and SLL.

Design: IgVH gene polymerase chain reaction amplification and subsequent sequencing were preformed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded archival tissue of 44 patients (SLL n = 34 or CLL n = 10).

Human tissue ownership and use in research: what laboratorians and researchers should know.

Background: The use of human blood and tissue is critical to biomedical research. A number of treaties, laws, and regulations help to guide the ethical collection of these specimens. However, there are no clearly defined regulations regarding the ownership of human tissue specimens and who can control their fate.

Peripheral eosinophilia camouflaging anaplastic large cell lymphoma.

Eosinophilia is a nonspecific laboratory finding, often noted incidentally during routine blood analysis. When persistent, eosinophilia can herald an underlying parasitic infection, drug reaction or less commonly, a neoplastic process. Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) and tissue eosinophilia has been described; however, such cases have not displayed marked leukocytosis with eosinophilia.