Discordant lymphoma consisting of mantle cell lymphoma and angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma: homology or heterogeneity?

OBJECTS: To investigate the pathologic characteristic of discordant lymphoma with mantle cell lymphoma and angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma. METHODS: The clinicopathologic data of cases of discordant lymphoma were organized and clinicopathologic features were analyzed by literature review. RESULTS: A 49-year-old male was taken to the hospital due to the lymphandenopathy in January 2007 and mantle cell lymphoma was diagnosed in the pathology report. EBV-EBER staining was negative. Active chemotherapy was received and the patient achieved complete response. Seven years later since diagnosis, in 2014 scattered rashes were found. A skin biopsy was taken and the result was not mantle cell lymphoma but angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma. EBV-EBER positivity was detected. Clonal T cell receptor gamma locus gene rearrangements were detected while no clonal immunoglobin heavy locus gene rearrangement was detected in the skin sample. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report on discordant lymphoma consisting of mantle cell lymphoma and angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma. There seems to be no relation these two different kinds of lymphoma, and EBV infection might prompt the development of angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma after transplantation. Rash is a common clinical manifestation when T cell lymphoma develops after treatment for MCL.