T-cell lymphoma revealed by a peripheral neuropathy. A report of two cases with an immunohistologic study on lymph node and nerve biopsies

Cancer. 1986 Dec 15;58(12):2710-6. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(19861215)58:12<2710::aid-cncr2820581226>3.0.co;2-d.

Abstract

In two patients a peripheral neuropathy was the presenting symptom of a noncutaneous peripheral T-cell lymphoma. In the first patient, the neuropathy had a relapsing and remitting course, the symptoms improved under corticosteroid therapy. The second patient suffered from a relentless neuropathy. In both cases the lymphoma infiltrated the peroneal nerve with an angiocentric and perivascular pattern resembling that observed in central nervous system lymphomas. The characterization of T-cell subsets in the lymph node showed cells with the helper/inducer and suppressor/cytotoxic phenotype in the first case and a predominance of cells with the helper/inducer phenotype in the second case. In the nerve, lymphocytes beard the helper/inducer phenotype antigen. A typical paraneoplastic vasculitis of nerve showed clearly different immunologic features.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biopsy
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Techniques
  • Lymph Nodes / pathology
  • Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / diagnosis*
  • Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / etiology*
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / pathology
  • Peroneal Nerve / pathology*