Journal of Pathology and Translational Medicine (Nov 2023)

Intravascular NK/T-cell lymphoma: a case report and literature review

  • Ji Min Na,
  • Wookjae Jung,
  • Minhye Kim,
  • Yun-Hong Cheon,
  • Jong Sil Lee,
  • Dae Hyun Song,
  • Jung Wook Yang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4132/jptm.2023.10.30
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 57, no. 6
pp. 332 – 336

Abstract

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Intravascular lymphoma is characterized by an exclusively intravascular distribution of tumor cells. Intravascular natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (IVNKTL) is extremely rare, highly aggressive, commonly Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)–positive, and predominantly affects the skin and central nervous system. Here we report a case of IVNKTL diagnosed in a 67-year-old female, presenting with persistent intermittent fever and skin rashes throughout the body. Incisional biopsy of an erythematous lesion on the chest exhibited aggregation of medium to large-sized atypical lymphoid cells confined to the lumen of small vessels that were positive for CD3, granzyme B, and CD56 on immunohistochemistry and EBV-encoded RNA in situ hybridization. EBV DNA was also detected in serum after diagnosis. With a review of 26 cases of IVNKTL to date, we suggest that active biopsy based on EBV DNA detection may facilitate early diagnosis of IVNKTL.

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