Immunohistochemical Characterization of Nasal Type Extranodal NK/T Cell Lymphoma and Related Entities Using a Tissue Microarray: An Analysis of 93 Cases

American Journal of Clinical Pathology, Volume 130, Number 3 / September 2008

Nasal type extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma is an uncommon aggressive malignancy which occurs more frequently in Asia and Central and South America. While numerous small series have been published showing the expression of various immunohistochemical markers by these malignancies, there is a paucity of studies in the literature documenting the immunological profile of large numbers of tumors with a broad range of antibodies. Utilizing a tissue microarray, we have characterized 93 cases of extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma and related entities with regard to expression of 18 immunohistochemical markers and the presence of EBV RNA. In our series CD2 was positive in 70/75 cases (93%) of extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma, CD3 in 68/82 (83%), CD5 in 22/82 (27%), CD20 in 1/83 (1.2%), CD29 in 75/83 (90%), CD30 in 29/85 (34%), CD43 in 82/85 (96%), CD54 in 58/82 (71%), CD56 in 47/80 (59%), CD62L in 23/84 (27%), CD183 in 67/84 (80%), BCL2 in 33/85 (39%), CLA in 21/85 (25%), granzyme B in 70/85 (82%), Ki67 in 59/84 (70%), LAT in 61/85 (72%), perforin in 66/78 (85%), TIA1 in 77/85 (91%), and EBV in 73/85 (86%). Hierarchical cluster analysis separated primary cutaneous cases from cases presenting in other sites based on lower expression in the cutaneous lymphomas of CD54, a cell adhesion molecule involved in lymphocyte migration through high endothelial venules.