The characterization of PDGFR-alpha and PDGFR-beta expression in malignant non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

PDGF receptors play an important role in tumor progression as being part of a group of receptors that are expressed along the membrane of tumor cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the PDGF receptor expression in follicular and diffuse forms of non-Hodgkin malignant lymphoma. We evaluated 38 biopsy fragments from patients diagnosed with malignant non-Hodgkin lymphoma. We noticed the distribution of PDGFR-alpha and -beta in tumor cells and the immunoreactivity was quantified as the percentage of positive tumor cells. We noticed the presence of score 3, more than 30% of tumor cells positive, for PDGFR-alpha and PDGFR-beta in 50% and 75% cases of follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma. For diffuse malignant non-Hodgkin lymphomas, score 3 was noted in 23.52% of cases for PDGFR-alpha and 35.29% of cases for PDGFR-beta. This may represent an important therapeutic target in patients who do not respond to conventional therapy, but further research is needed for a careful evaluation of benefits and side effects of PDGFR inhibitors.