SEZARY SYNDROME - TARTRATE-RESISTANT ACID-PHOSPHATASE IN THE NEOPLASTIC-CELLS

Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase is diagnostic value in hairy cell leukemia. Occasionally neoplastic cells of other varieties of lymphoproliferative disorders may contain tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase. Patients (4) with Sezary syndrome who had typical cutaneous lesions with extensive lymphoid infiltrates and circulating atypical E[sheep erythrocyte]-rosetting lymphoid cells were studed. The abnormal Sezary cells accounted for 23-69% of the peripheral mononuclear cells and showed convoluted or folded nuclei. The cells in all 4 patients were strongly positive for acid phosphatase resistant to tartaric acid inhibition. Enzymatic cytochemical studies for acid phosphatase with and without tartrate may be helpful in the differential diagnosis of cutaneous T [thymus-derived] cell lymphomas from variants of chronic dermatitis.