BACKGROUND: Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma is a type of B-cell Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The monoclonal immunoglobulin of IgA type is rarely seen in the clinical practice. METHODS: We report a patient with anemia, thrombocytopenia, hepatomegaly, and splenomegaly. Serum immuno-electrophoresis, bone marrow morphology, and flow cytometry assays were used for the diagnosis of this patient. RESULTS: The monoclonal gammopathy was detected in the serum protein electrophoresis. The serum immunoelectrophoresis was of IgA-λ type and serum IgA level was high. The bone marrow aspiration exhibited a large number of prominent lymphoplasmacytoid lymphocytes. Immunophenotype of lymphoplasmacytoid lymphocytes showed: CD38+, CD138+, CD19+, CD20+. The patient was diagnosed as Lymphoplasmacytic Lymphoma with IgA paraproteinemia. CONCLUSIONS: For patients whose bone marrow aspiration reveals lymphoplasmacytoid lymphocytes while the monoclonal immunoglobulin is not of IgM type, further diagnosis should be performed to determine the characteristic of the tumor cells, in order to diagnose if it is a rare type of LPL.
BACKGROUND:Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma is a type of B-cell Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The monoclonal immunoglobulin of IgA type is rarely seen in the clinical practice. METHODS: We report a patient with anemia, thrombocytopenia, hepatomegaly, and splenomegaly. Serum immuno-electrophoresis, bone marrow morphology, and flow cytometry assays were used for the diagnosis of this patient. RESULTS: The monoclonal gammopathy was detected in the serum protein electrophoresis. The serum immunoelectrophoresis was of IgA-λ type and serum IgA level was high. The bone marrow aspiration exhibited a large number of prominent lymphoplasmacytoid lymphocytes. Immunophenotype of lymphoplasmacytoid lymphocytes showed: CD38+, CD138+, CD19+, CD20+. The patient was diagnosed as Lymphoplasmacytic Lymphoma with IgA paraproteinemia. CONCLUSIONS: For patients whose bone marrow aspiration reveals lymphoplasmacytoid lymphocytes while the monoclonal immunoglobulin is not of IgM type, further diagnosis should be performed to determine the characteristic of the tumor cells, in order to diagnose if it is a rare type of LPL.