Immunoglobulin-Gene Rearrangement in Benign Lymphoepithelial Lesions

To the Editor: The presence of immunoglobulin-gene rearrangements in benign lymphoepithelial lesions of salivary glands, described by Fishleder et al. (April 30 issue),¹ is not entirely surprising. For a number of years, I have considered such lesions markers of abnormal lymphoid proliferation, on the basis of my own experience as well as a number of reports in the literature.² One series conspicuously lacking from the discussion of Fishleder et al. is that of Schmid et al., which describes 45 cases involving immunologic-marker studies.³ It was shown that monoclonal foci of varying size were present in nearly all 45 cases, and…