Epstein-Barr Virus–Positive CD20- and CD45-Negative Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma: A Diagnostic Challenge. (February 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Starr, Amy; Kwon, Dong Hyang; Kallakury, Bhaskar
• Is Part Of: International journal of surgical pathology. Volume 27:Number 1(2019)
• Page Start: 98
• Page End: 101
• Publication Date: 2019-02
• Subjects: lymphoma -- DLBCL -- CD20 negative -- CD45 negative -- EBV; Pathology, Surgical -- Periodicals; 617.07
• DOI: 10.1177/1066896918784669
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1066-8969

Abstract

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is characterized by medium- to large-sized neoplastic cells that express a wide range of B-cell markers including CD19, CD20, CD22, and CD79a. Also, as this is a hematopoietic malignancy, there is expression of the leukocyte common antigen CD45. Lack of CD20 expression occurs in a specific rare heterogeneous subgroup of DLBCL including primary effusion lymphoma, plasmablastic lymphoma, ALK-positive large B-cell lymphoma, and large B-cell lymphoma arising in HHV8+ multicentric Castleman disease. In this article, we report a rare case of CD20- and CD45-negative Epstein-Barr virus–positive DLBCL in which the entities listed above were ruled out, thereby posing a significant diagnostic challenge. Arriving at the correct diagnosis of Epstein-Barr virus–positive DLBCL was supported by immunoreactivity for the B-cell transcription factor Oct-2 and the pan-B cell marker CD79a.