Case Report: Phenotypic Switch in High-Grade B-Cell Lymphoma With MYC and BCL6 Rearrangements: A Potential Mechanism of Therapeutic Resistance in Lymphoma?

Lineage switch between myeloid and lymphoid in acute leukemia is well established as a mechanism for leukemic cells to escape chemotherapy. Cross-lineage transformation is also recognized in some solid tumors on targeted therapy, such as adenocarcinomas of the lung and prostate that transforms to neuroendocrine carcinoma on targeted therapy. Now lineage plasticity is increasingly recognized in mature lymphomas, such as small B-cell lymphomas transforming to histiocytic/dendritic cell sarcoma. However, there is no report of aggressive mature B-cell lymphoma switching from one histologic category to another upon targeted therapy. We report here a case of high-grade B-cell lymphoma with MYC and BCL6 rearrangements relapsing as a high-grade plasmablastic neoplasm with MYC and BCL6 rearrangements after R-CHOP and R-EPOCH therapy. Being aware of this rare scenario will help improve our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of therapeutic resistance and progression of lymphoma.

Automated summary

Lineage switch between myeloid and lymphoid in leukemia is a known mechanism for chemotherapy resistance. Cross-lineage transformation is also observed in some solid tumors on targeted therapy. Lineage plasticity in mature lymphomas, such as B-cell lymphomas changing to histiocytic/dendritic cell sarcoma, is increasingly recognized.