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Background. This study was aimed at comparing angiogenesis, seen as microvessel density (MVD) in subtypes of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL).Methods. In this study, 64 cases of NHL diagnosed over a three-year period were included along with 15 lymph node biopsies of reactive hyperplasia. NHLs were classified using REAL classification, and immunohistochemistry was performed for CD34 in all cases. CD34-stained sections were evaluated for “hot spots,” where MVD was assessed and expressed as per mm2. Appropriate statistical methods were applied.Results. There were 6 cases of well-differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), 21 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), 15 follicular lymphoma, 10 lymphoblastic lymphoma, 7 MALToma, and 5 peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL). Mean MVD was highest in reactive hyperplasia (191.92±12.16per mm2) compared to all NHLs. Among NHLs, PTCL demonstrated the highest MVD (183.42±8.24) followed by DLBCL (149.91±13.68). A significant difference was found in MVD between reactive and individual lymphoma groups. SLL had significantly lower MVD than other lymphoma subtypes.Conclusion. Angiogenesis, assessed by MVD, showed significant differences among subtypes of NHL, especially the indolent types like SLL. The higher MVD in aggressive lymphomas like PTCL and DLBCL can potentially be utilized in targeted therapy with antiangiogenic drugs.

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Thalassemia and thalassemic hemoglobinopathies pose serious health problem leading to severe morbidity and mortality in Indian population. Plethora of hemoglobin variants is prevalent in multiethnic Indian population. The aim of the present study was to analyze laboratory aspects, namely, hematological profile and HPLC findings of the hemoglobin variants detected, and to discuss problems that we faced in diagnosis in a routine clinical laboratory. We screened a total of 4800 cases in a hospital based population of North India in a 2-years period of by automated HPLC method using the Variant Hemoglobin Testing System (Variant II Beta Thalassemia Short Program, Bio-Rad Laboratories) under the experimental conditions specified by the manufacturer. Whole blood in EDTA was used and red cell indices were determined using automated hematology analyzer. We detected 290 cases with abnormal variants in which beta thalassemia was the most common followed by hemoglobin E. Here, we discuss the laboratory aspects of various hemoglobin disorders and diagnostic difficulties in cases like borderline HbA2 values, presence of silent mutation, alpha thalassemia gene, and few rare variants which at times require correlation with genetic study. Special attention was given to HbA2 level even in presence of a structural variant to rule out coinheritance of beta thalassemia gene.

Solitary neurofibroma of the scrotum is exceedingly rare and very few cases of this unusual occurrance have been reported till date. None of the previously reported cases had a preoperative cytologic diagnosis. A young man presented with an eight-month history of right scrotal swelling. Fine-needle aspiration cytology showed a spindle cell tumor with fibrillary matrix and wavy slender nuclei. A cytologic diagnosis of benign nerve sheath tumor was rendered. The patient underwent surgical excision of the mass and histopathologic examination confirmed the diagnosis of a neurofibroma. This case is the first reported instance of aspiration cytologic diagnosis of intrascrotal neurofibroma. This rare tumor should be considered in the cytologic differential diagnoses of testicular and paratesticular tumors.