Coexistence of leukemic reticuloendotheliosis and histiocytic lymphoma: a case report

A 65-year-old woman had pancytopenia, splenomegaly, and an inaspirable bone marrow. Diagnostic evaluation demonstrated that she had both leukemic reticuloendotheliosis (LRE), or hairy cell leukemia, and an additional lympho-reticular neoplasm, most likely a "histiocytic" lymphoma. The diagnosis of LRE was based on the histopathology of spleen tissue and of a bone marrow biopsy specimen. The diagnosis of diffuse "histiocytic" lymphoma was based on the histopathology of a splenic hilar and a mesenteric lymph node, tumor nodules in the kidney and spleen, and tissue from a mass obstructing a ureter. This is the first well-documented association of a second lympho-reticular neoplasm with LRE. Even relatively gently treatment of the "histiocytic" lymphoma resulted in fatal pancytopenia, illustrating the restricitons on therapy imposed by the marrow impairment due to the LRE.