Hodgkins Lymphoma Flashcards
(9 cards)
What are Reed-Sternberg cells?
CD15/30 (+) B cells with a characteristic ‘owl eye’ appearance
These cells are a hallmark of Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
What is a common presenting symptom of Hodgkin’s lymphoma?
Painless lateral neck mass or facial swelling (lymphadenopathy)
What additional findings may be present in Hodgkin’s lymphoma?
- Hepatomegaly
- Mediastinal mass
- Virchow node (Troisier sign)
- B symptoms (i.e., fever, night sweats, weight loss)
- pruritus
- mediastinal mass (not thymoma; this is mediastinal lymphadenopathy)
- Virchow node (Troisier sign of malignancy; palpable left supraclavicular lymph node); this is not limited to gastric cancers; I’ve seen an NBME Q where they give this latter finding for Hodgkin.
What leukocyte count is typically seen in Hodgkin’s lymphoma?
Question can give normal leukocyte count and differential. An NBME Q gives WBCs of
10,000/µL (NR 4-11,000) and lymphocytes of 33% (NR 25-33). This is because lymphomas
are cancers of lymphatic tissue. They’re not leukemias, which are cancerous WBCs floating
around the blood.
Which type of Hodgkin’s lymphoma tends to favor women?
Nodular-sclerosing type
This type has a higher prevalence in females.
How does the ratio of normal B cells to Reed-Sternberg cells affect prognosis?
More normal B cells relative to RS cells indicates better prognosis
For example, leukocyte-
rich Hodgkin has more normal B cells in comparison to RS cells and has better prognosis; in
contrast, leukocyte-deplete Hodgkin has comparatively more RS cells and worse prognosis.
Fill in the blank: Hodgkin’s lymphoma is characterized by _______ cells.
Reed-Sternberg
These cells are key to the diagnosis of the disease.
Diagnosis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma
Lymph node biopsy showing Reed-Sternberg cells
Reed-Sternberg cells, which are CD15/30 (+) B cells with a characteristic “owl eye” appearance.
