Natural killer cell lymphoma in cytology: breaking all the rules--a case report

A testicular mass aspirate was received from a 22-yr-old patient with known non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The cells were large and pleomorphic, occurring in syncytial fragments and demonstrating abundant cytoplasm. No lymphoglandular bodies were seen. As characteristic lymphoma criteria were not present, a cytodiagnosis of germ-cell tumor was suggested, and testicular biopsy advised. The final histopathology report, however, was of a CD 56-positive (large-cell) T-natural killer cell lymphoma, of which this appears to be the first example described and illustrated cytologically.