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Review
. 2009 Jun;9(3):206-16.
doi: 10.3816/CLM.2009.n.042.

Hodgkin lymphoma: an update on its biology with new insights into classification

Haresh Mani  1 , Elaine S Jaffe
Affiliations
Review

Hodgkin lymphoma: an update on its biology with new insights into classification

Haresh Mani et al. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma. 2009 Jun.

Abstract

In the past few years, there has been a greater understanding of the spectrum and biology of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). In standard texts, HL is classified as 2 distinct entities, namely nodular lymphocyte-predominant HL and classical HL (CHL). However, recent evidence suggests that CHL is not a single disease. Although the mixed cellularity and lymphocyte-depleted subtypes might be part of a biologic continuum, the nodular sclerosis subtype has a distinct epidemiology, clinical presentation, and histology. Nodular sclerosis HL might also be related to primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma and mediastinal gray-zone lymphomas. We present an update on the pathobiology of HL and discuss these biologic and clinical differences in this review.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Nodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma is characterized by broad bands of birefringent collagen. Lacunar variants of HRS cells often cluster within the nodules (H&E).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Lymphocyte depleted CHL with abundant HRS-cells in a background rich in histiocytes, but with few lymphocytes (H&E).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Lymphocyte rich CHL with HRS cells within expanded follicles, mainly at the periphery in the mantle and marginal zone (CD15 immunostain).
Figure 4
Figure 4
In nodular lymphocyte predominant HL, LP cells are strongly positive for CD20 and are seen in the context of lymphoid follicles (CD20 immunostain).
Figure 5
Figure 5
A. The classical RS cell is binucleate, each nucleus contains a prominent eosinophilic nucleolus with perinucleolar halos giving the cell an “owl-eye” appearance (H&E). B. The LP cell, the neoplastic cell in NLPHL, has a multilobate/folded nucleus with smaller basophilic nucleoli giving the cell a “popcorn” appearance (H&E).
Figure 5
Figure 5
A. The classical RS cell is binucleate, each nucleus contains a prominent eosinophilic nucleolus with perinucleolar halos giving the cell an “owl-eye” appearance (H&E). B. The LP cell, the neoplastic cell in NLPHL, has a multilobate/folded nucleus with smaller basophilic nucleoli giving the cell a “popcorn” appearance (H&E).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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