Hodgkin's disease associated with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Eight additional cases, including two of the nodular lymphocyte predominant type.

Several reports of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)/small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) and of coexisting or subsequent Hodgkin's disease (HD) have raised the question how these two disorders are related. The authors have identified eight new cases of B-cell low-grade lymphoproliferative disorders (LGLPD) and HD. Six of these cases were similar to those previously reported on by others in that the HD were mixed cellularity, nodular sclerosing, and lymphocyte depleted subtypes. The morphology in these cases was typical of HD, as was the immunohistochemical profile. However, the two remaining cases were notable in that the HD was of the nodular lymphocyte predominant type (NLPHD). To our knowledge, this association has not been well documented previously. In the two cases in this study, CLL and NLPHD were found simultaneously when each patient presented with lymphadenopathy and a lymphocytosis that was comprised of small monoclonal B lymphocytes coexpressing CD5. Lymph node biopsies in each case revealed typical NLPHD, with large, indistinct nodules containing scattered lymphocytic-histiocytic (L&H) cells. Focal, but distinct areas of CLL/SLL were also present. Immunostaining of the lymph node biopsy specimens showed the L&H cells to be CD20- and CD45 positive, and to lack CD15 or evidence of light chain restriction. In one of these patients, a NLPHD-associated large cell lymphoma developed 8 months later. The large cells were CD20- and CD45 positive, with lambda light chain restriction. In contrast, the original CLL cells in this patient expressed kappa light chains. This report indicates that LGLPD can be associated with all subtypes of HD, including the NLP type. The discordant light chain restriction between the CLL and the NLPHD-associated large cell lymphoma in one of these cases indicates that the CLL and HD were probably not derived from the same clone.