Mantle cell lymphoma – small cell (CLL-like) variant

Four morphological variants are distinguished in mantle cell lymphoma. The small cell (CLL-like) variant is the most common one. This bone marrow smear shows a predominant infiltration by a uniform population of small neoplastic lymphocytes. Tumour cells have a high nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio and a small amount of slightly basophilic cytoplasm. The shape of the nucleus is mostly regular and rounded, nuclear chromatin is clumped and nucleoli are not visible. The morphological picture resembles chronic lymphocytic leukaemia / small lymphocytic lymphoma and the distinction from this disease is practically impossible only on the basis of cytology.