Peripheral T-cell lymphoma involving the placenta.
BACKGROUND: Placental involvement by maternal malignant lymphoma is a rare complication of pregnancy. METHODS: The case of a 29-year-old woman found to have placental involvement by peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) diagnosed by morphologic study, immunoperoxidase stains, and molecular genetic studies is reported. RESULTS: The lymphoma was pathologic Stage IVB and although there were no adverse consequences for the child, but the neoplasm progressed rapidly during the postpartum period. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical course suggested that the immunologic changes of the pregnancy exerted a lymphoma-suppressive effect on the lymphoma. The authors know of no other report of a patient with placental involvement by PTCL.