Multiinstitution study of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas using frozen section
immunoperoxidase: the Southeastern Cancer Study Group experience
MJ Borowitz, S Newby, RK Brynes, JB Cousar, CC Whitcomb, JD Crissman, GE Byrne and RD Collins
This report describes the experience of the Southeastern Cancer Study Group
(SECSG) with a transport medium used for immunologic phenotyping of
non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. In a 2-mo pilot study, portions of 53 specimens of
non-Hodgkin's lymphoma from four member institutions of the SECSG and
affiliated community hospitals were sent by regular mail to a central
laboratory. Immunologic phenotyping was carried out using a frozen section
immunoperoxidase technique. In 48 of the cases, a clear-cut immunologic
phenotype was obtained. Thirty-four tumors were of B cell origin and 7 had
T cell markers. Six of the remaining lymphomas had neither B nor T cell
markers, and the seventh had both. In 12 cases, phenotyping was also
carried out at the originating institution using conventional cell
suspension techniques; agreement between the two methods was excellent. The
immunologic results were correlated with histopathologic diagnosis
standardized using the Working Formulation for non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. It
was found that the low grade tumors were all B cell, but that the
intermediate grade tumors were very heterogeneous immunologically. About
one-fourth of the diffuse, intermediate grade or miscellaneous tumors had T
cell markers. Our results indicate that immunologic phenotyping may be
performed satisfactorily on transported material, making multiinstitution
studies on the prognostic significance of immunologic phenotype in non-
Hodgkin's lymphomas feasible.
Volume 63,
Issue 5,
pp. 1147-1152,
05/01/1984
Copyright © 1984 by The American Society of Hematology
