Biology and therapy of primary mediastinal B‐cell lymphoma: current status and future directions

Journal article

Primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBL) and nodular sclerosis classic Hodgkin lymphoma (NSCHL) share common clinical, histological and molecular features which often result in differential diagnosis complications. Given the high importance of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in lymphomas, we aimed to investigate if the aforementioned similarities reflect the cellular composition of their immune milieu as well. Twenty-four mediastinal mass biopsies (12 PMBL cases and 12 NSCHL cases) from previously untreated patients were re-evaluated and examined for the infiltration levels by eosinophils, mast cells, CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells and FOXP3+ cells. NSCHL cases were statistically significantly infiltrated in higher levels by all of the examined cells, apart from CD8+ T cells, which were found more abundant in PMBL. Of note, 2 out of 12 PMBL cases presented FOXP3 positivity of the neoplastic cells. The TME of NSCHL was found more abundant and heterogeneous compared to that of PMBL, which should be taken into account in the differential diagnosis. Moreover, FOXP3 scarcity in PMBL suggests different mechanisms for T-cell anergy induction

Authors: Lees, C; Keane, C; Gandhi, MK; Gunawardana, J

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Wiley
• Journal: British Journal of Haematology
• Volume: 185
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 25-41
• Publication date: 2019-02-10
• DOI: 10.1111/bjh.15778
• EISSN: 1365-2141
• ISSN: 0007-1048
• Language: English
• Keywords: Immunology; CHOP; Rituximab; Lymphoma; Oncology; Cyclophosphamide; Vincristine; Internal medicine; Medicine; Cancer research; Chemotherapy