T-cell clonality analysis in biopsy specimens from two different skin sites shows high specificity in the diagnosis of patients with suggested mycosis fungoides - 19/08/11
Abstract |
Background |
The diagnosis of mycosis fungoides (MF) is often difficult because of significant clinical and histopathologic overlap with inflammatory dermatoses. T-cell receptor (TCR)γ chain rearrangement by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (TCR-PCR) is a helpful adjuvant tool in this setting, but several of the inflammatory dermatoses in the differential diagnosis of MF may contain a clonal T-cell proliferation.
Objective |
We examined whether analysis for T-cell clonality and comparison of the clones with the standardized BIOMED-2 PCR multiplex primers for the TCRγ chain from two anatomically distinct skin sites improves diagnostic accuracy.
Methods |
We examined two biopsy specimens each from 10 patients with unequivocal MF, from 18 patients with inflammatory dermatoses, and from 18 patients who could initially not be definitively given a diagnosis based on clinical and histopathologic criteria.
Results |
Eight of 10 patients with unequivocal MF had an identical clone in both biopsy specimens. Two of 18 patients with inflammatory dermatoses were found to have a clone in one of the biopsy specimens. On further follow-up of the 18 patients with morphologically nondiagnostic biopsy specimens, 13 of 18 were later confirmed to have MF and 5 of 18 had inflammatory dermatoses. Eleven of 13 patients with MF had an identical clone in both biopsy specimens; two of 13 had a polyclonal amplification pattern in both biopsy specimens. Four of 5 patients with inflammatory dermatoses had no clone in either biopsy specimen. One patient with an inflammatory dermatosis had an identical clone in both specimens. The sensitivity of TCR-PCR analysis to evaluate for an identical clone at different anatomic skin sites (dual TCR-PCR) is 82.6% and the specificity is 95.7%.
Limitations |
The number of patients in the study group was limited.
Conclusion |
These data suggest that dual TCR-PCR is a very promising technique with high specificity in distinguishing MF from inflammatory dermatoses.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Abbreviations used : CTCL, DGGE, HD, IPOX, MF, PCR, SB, TCR, TCR-PCR
Plan
Supported by the Stanford Department of Pathology. |
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Conflicts of interest: None declared. |
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Preliminary results of this study were given as an oral presentation at the 43rd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Dermatopathology, Chicago, Ill, October 26-29, 2006. |
Vol 57 - N° 5
P. 782-790 - novembre 2007 Retour au numéroBienvenue sur EM-consulte, la référence des professionnels de santé.
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