Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD or PT-LPD) encompass
a range of lymphoid hyperplasias and neoplasias that occur in approximately
2-5% of organ transplant patients and about 1% of bone marrow recipients.
They have been described as "opportunistic
neoplasms" which arise in part as a consequence of the immunosuppression
required to prevent organ rejection. The following list summarizes features
of these lesions.
The Epstein-Barr virus is thought to be an important cofactor in the
development of PTLD and is present within almost all cases
Primary EBV infection and heavy immunosuppression are considered risk
factors for PTLD
PTLD most commonly arises within the first posttransplant year.
The clinical presentation of PTLD is heterogeneous. It most often presents as one or more tumors
PTLD may arise in lymphoid tissues such as tonsils or lymph nodes,
but frequently arises in extranodal sites
The organ allograft itself is often involved by PTLD
PTLD most commonly arise from B lymphocytes. Less commonly, tumors
may arise from T cells or NK cells
The histologic spectrum of PTLD ranges
from hyperplastic lesions, some of which resemble mononucleosis, to atypical lymphoid lesions, to lymphomas
Lymphomatous PTLDs most often are of the non-Hodgkins type
PTLD most commonly arise from recipient cells in organ transplant patients and donor cells in bone marrow recipients
Approaches to PTLD therapy include lowering of immunosuppression, antiviral therapy, surgical support, and antilymphoma therapy
Newer therapies for PTLD include cellular therapy
A minority of PTLD may recur
The long-term survival of PTLD patients is dependent upon the particular form of the disease and other factors
Please mail comments, corrections or suggestions to the
TPIS administrationat the UPMC.