Autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome: the intermediate state between autoimmune diseases of blood system and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: a report of two cases and review of the literature

Autoimmune diseases (ADs) have close relationship with the onset of malignant lymphoma. They closely tie to lymphoma. Immune disorders might play an important role in transformation from ADs to lymphoma. DLBCL occurred after autoimmune hematological diseases and autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS) was rare. The interval between ADs and DLBCL was long and the pathogenesis might be related to the immune dysfunction and so on. ALPS might be a bridge. It starts with immune disorders, benign lymphocytic proliferation and infiltration, and at last it progresses malignant histologic variants. We reported two cases of hematological autoimmune disorders developed into DLBCL and ALPS was diagnosed before it evolved into DLBCL. It might help us to predict the risk of lymphoma when the patients are suffered from ADs. New therapeutic methods need to be explored to treat autoimmune hematological diseases. Whether they could prevent ADs from malignant transformation needs further research.