B cell small lymphocytic lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia with peripheral neuropathy: two cases with neuropathological findings and lymphocyte marker analysis

Two patients with lymphoproliferative disorders developed peripheral neuropathy and neoplastic lymphocytic nerve infiltrates. One of these patients, with B cell small lymphocytic lymphoma, presented with a chronic axonal neuropathy. CD22⁺, CD5^- cells were identified in the epineurium. The other patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia of 3 years duration developed a mixed axonal and demyelinating neuropathy. CD22⁺ and CD5⁺ cells were observed in the endoneurium. While the cause of the neuropathy in these two cases is unknown, intraneural or systemic autoantibody production may have led to the development of disease.