Splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL) and nodal marginal zone lymphoma (NMZL) are newly defined, separate clinicopathological entities. Both are rare lymphoma types, with low reproducibility in the diagnosis, although a conjunction of molecular and clinical studies seems to be now facilitating a more accurate diagnosis and understanding of the neoplastic process. SMZL is a disease involving the spleen, bone marrow and peripheral blood since the initial manifestations of the disease. The diagnosis has been until very recently based on the pathological study of the spleen with the conjunction of the clinical features, although the integration of the morphology in bone marrow and peripheral blood with the immunophenotype and molecular characteristics of the tumour makes a more accurate diagnosis now possible. The most frequent molecular alteration found in SMZL is allelic loss at the 7q chromosomal region. SMZL is an indolent lymphoma, although there is small subset of patients in which it follows an aggressive course. Molecular studies of SMZL are starting to reveal new diagnostic and prognostic markers, and to identify new potentially useful therapeutic targets. Nodal marginal zone lymphoma is a B-cell neoplasm originated in the lymph node, whose histology resembles the nodal infiltration by MALT- or Splenic-type marginal zone lymphoma, in the absence of clinical evidence of extranodal or spleen disease. The lack of characteristic phenotypic or molecular diagnostic findings is still hampering the reproducibility of this diagnosis. Here we review the main morphological and immunophenotypical markers, discussing the differential with other overlapping entities, singularly follicular lymphoma. Specific therapeutic protocols and prognostic factors are required to more precisely define this tumour.
2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.