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Reed Sternberg cell

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

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This is common to all forms of Hodgkin's disease.

Characteristics:

  • large cell - 15 to 45 micrometers in diameter
  • often binucleate, bilobed or multinucleate
  • abundant amphiphilic cytoplasm
  • "owl-eyed" nucleoli surrounded by a clear halo

Variants:

  • uninucleated cells with prominent nucleoli
  • lacunar cells - large, single hperlobated nucleus with multiple, small nucleoli and an abundance of pale staining cytoplasm

Reed Sternberg cells and variants are thought to be the neoplastic component in Hodgkin's disease. They are a necessary but insufficent feature for the diagnosis of Hodgkin's disease.

Similar or identical cells may be present in other conditions:

  • infectious mononucleosis
  • non-Hodgkin's lymphomas
  • solid tissue cancers

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The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

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