Case: AP101
Contributor's Comment: "Gaucher cells" or " Gaucher-like" cells can occur in diseases unrelated to Gaucher's disease, such as thalassemia, chronic myeloid leukemia and Hodgkin's disease. In most of the cases where acquired "Gaucher-like" cells occur, they are loocated in the marrow or spleen. In very rare cases, the "Gaucher-like" cells may occur in extramedullary sites.

In this example of beta thalassemia major with "Gaucher-like" cells in marrow, the marrow shows 100% cellularity with erythroid hyperplasia and clusters of "Gaucher-like" histiocytes. Participants who mentioned the possibility of thalassemia as an etiology or described erythroid hyperplasia score more than those who do not.

References
Zaino EC Rossi MB Pham TD Azar HA. Gaucher's cells in thalassemia. Blood (1971 Oct) 38(4):457-62
Lee KS Tobin MS Chen KT Ahmed F Gomez-Leon G. Acquired Gaucher's cells in Hodgkin's disease. Am J Med (1982 Aug) 73(2):290-4
Kattlove HE Williams JC Gaynor E Spivack M Bradley RM Brady RO GAUCHER CELLS IN CHRONIC MYELOCYTIC LEUKEMIA: AN ACQUIRED ABNORMALITY Blood (1969) 33(2,Pt2):379-390 1969
Chan AC Wu PC Ormiston IW Tideman H. Periosteal Gaucher-like cells in beta-thalassemia major. J Oral Pathol Med (1993 Aug) 22(7):331-3