These group of disorders are also known as lymphoproliferative disorders and involve the clonal proliferation of mature lymphocytes.¹ The proliferation of these cells causes the formation of lymphomas and leukemias.²

As with acute leukemia, there are also a variety of factors that can lead to the development of these disorders:³

1. Acquired mutations leading to altered oncogene and tumor suppressor gene functions.

2. Inherited immunodeficiency syndromes that are associated with these neoplasms

3. Environmental factors that can lead to the development of neoplasms (e.g. viral and bacterial infections)

The 2008 WHO Classification categorizes the related disorders based on the type of cell that is involved (B or T cell).⁴

List of Mature B cell Neoplasms as per WHO 2008:⁴

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Hairy Cell Leukemia

Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma)

Plasma cell neoplasms

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS)

Plasma cell myeloma/multiple myeloma

Note: WHO 2008 lists additional disorders under mature B-cell neoplasms and as well has mature T-cell neoplasms. Only those listed above will be discussed in this eBook.

References:

1. Holmer LD, Bueso-Ramos CE. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia and related lymphoproliferative disorders. In: Clinical hematology and fundamentals of hemostasis. 5th ed. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company; 2009. p. 440-65.

2. Czader M. Mature lymphoid neoplasms. In: Rodak’s hematology clinical applications and principles. 5th ed. St. Louis, Missouri: Saunders; 2015. p. 619-41.

3. Craig F. Mature lymphoid neoplasms. In: Clinical laboratory hematology. 3rd ed. New Jersey: Pearson; 2015. p. 535-56.

4. Swerdlow SH, Campo E, Harris NL, Jaffe ES, Pileri SA, Stein H, et al. editors. WHO Classification of Tumours of Haematopoietic and Lymphoid Tissues Volume 2. 4th ed. International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC); 2008.