Autoimmunity and auto-immune syndromes associated with and preceding the development of lymphoproliferative disorders

In this report the association of autoimmunity and autoimmune syndromes with lymphoproliferative disorders (LPD) is described in 15 patients. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) developed in 10 patients, Hodgkin's disease (HD) in 3 and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in two. In most instances clinical and laboratory phenomena preceded the development/diagnosis of these disorders. Manifestations ranged from the presence of autoantibodies in the serum to the presence of both ill defined or incomplete autoimmune syndromes including cold urticaria, Raynaud's phenomenon, cold agglutinin disease, thyroiditis, nephrotic syndrome and vasculitis to typical systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and even one of scleroderma. It is suggested that in some patients (in)complete clinical manifestations of autoimmunity may precede the development of lymphoid neoplasias. The link between autoimmunity and lymphoproliferative disorders is briefly discussed.