Keisuke Kawamoto1,2, Hiroaki Miyoshi1, Eriko Yanagida1, Noriaki Yoshida1, Junichi Kiyasu3, Yasuji Kozai4, Tatsuma Morikita5, Takeharu Kato6, Hitoshi Suzushima7, Shinobu Tamura8, Tsuyoshi Muta9, Koji Kato10, Tetsuya Eto11, Ritsuko Seki12, Koji Nagafuji12, Hirohito Sone2, Jun Takizawa2, Masao Seto1, Koichi Ohshima1. 1. Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Kurume University, Kurume, Japan. 2. Department of Hematology, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan. 3. Department of Hematology, Iizuka Hospital, Iizuka, Japan. 4. Department of Hematology, Tokyo Metropolitan Tama Medical Center, Fuchu, Japan. 5. Division of Medical Oncology, Saiseikai Kumamoto Hospital, Kumamoto, Japan. 6. Department of Hematology, Sasebo City General Hospital, Sasebo, Japan. 7. Department of Hematology, Kumamoto Shinto General Hospital, Kumamoto, Japan. 8. Department of Hematology and Oncology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan. 9. Department of Hematology, Japan Community Health Care Organization Kyushu Hospital, Kitakyushu, Japan. 10. Department of Medicine and Biosystemic Science, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Fukuoka, Japan. 11. Department of Hematology, Hamanomachi Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan. 12. Department of Hematology and Oncology, School of Medicine, Kurume University, Kurume, Japan.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL) is a very rare, aggressive T-cell neoplasm. Peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS) is also a highly aggressive lymphoma. These two diseases can often be confused with each other; therefore, we aimed to determine the clinical and pathological differences between T-PLL and PTCL-NOS. METHODS: We analyzed 15 T-PLL and 91 PTCL-NOS patients and also compared clinical features between T-PLL and PTCL-NOS with leukemic presentation. Peripheral blood images and biopsy specimens were analyzed, and treatment responses were determined via imaging modalities. The clinicopathological characteristics were statistically compared. RESULTS: T-PLL cells were smaller in size than those of PTCL-NOS with leukemic presentation (P=.0068); moreover, PTCL-NOS cells with leukemic presentation were smaller than those of PTCL-NOS without leukemic presentation (P=.0017). Immunophenotypic patterns in T-PLL and PTCL-NOS were similar. Five-year overall survival rates of T-PLL and all PTCL-NOS patients were 57.5% and 36.8%, respectively. No significant differences were found in clinical manifestations or prognoses; T-PLL and PTCL-NOS with leukemic presentation had essentially equivalent characteristics. CONCLUSION: T-PLL and PTCL-NOS may share common biological and clinical characteristics in Japanese patients.
OBJECTIVES:T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia (T-PLL) is a very rare, aggressive T-cell neoplasm. Peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS) is also a highly aggressive lymphoma. These two diseases can often be confused with each other; therefore, we aimed to determine the clinical and pathological differences between T-PLL and PTCL-NOS. METHODS: We analyzed 15 T-PLL and 91 PTCL-NOS patients and also compared clinical features between T-PLL and PTCL-NOS with leukemic presentation. Peripheral blood images and biopsy specimens were analyzed, and treatment responses were determined via imaging modalities. The clinicopathological characteristics were statistically compared. RESULTS: T-PLL cells were smaller in size than those of PTCL-NOS with leukemic presentation (P=.0068); moreover, PTCL-NOS cells with leukemic presentation were smaller than those of PTCL-NOS without leukemic presentation (P=.0017). Immunophenotypic patterns in T-PLL and PTCL-NOS were similar. Five-year overall survival rates of T-PLL and all PTCL-NOS patients were 57.5% and 36.8%, respectively. No significant differences were found in clinical manifestations or prognoses; T-PLL and PTCL-NOS with leukemic presentation had essentially equivalent characteristics. CONCLUSION: T-PLL and PTCL-NOS may share common biological and clinical characteristics in Japanese patients.