Korean Journal of Hematology  2001;36(3):269-273

A Case of Natural Killer-Large Granular Lymphocyte (NK-LGL) Leukemia.

Jung Ho LEE 1 ; Soo Jin PARK ; Sang Eun PARK ; Seung Keun KWAK ; Hyun Young SHIN ; Sung Eun KIM ; Jung Chan LEE ; Hwan Jung YUN ; Deog Yeon JO ; Samyong KIM ; So Young SHIN ; Kye Chul KWON ; Jong Woo PARK

Affiliations

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Keywords

Large granular lymphocyte (LGL); NK-LGL leukemia

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

Korean

Abstract

Large granular lymphocyte (LGL) leukemia, a rare hematologic malignancy, is classified into two groups, CD3+ T-LGL leukemia and CD3- NK-LGL leukemia based upon immunophenotype of the cells. We describe a patient with NK-LGL leukemia, who showed a rapidly fatal course. A 56-year-old man was presented with a very high count of white blood cells (154,400/mm3) consisting of mostly LGLs. Immunophenotyping using flow cytometric analysis revealed that majority of the cells were positive for HLA-DR and CD56 but negative for all the myeloid and lymphoid markers. Despite of active supportive care, he died of coagulopathy and multi-organ failure on the sixth hospital day.