Clinicopathological attributes of T-lymphoblastic lymphoma seen in a tertiary care centre

Background and Aims: T-lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LBL) is a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), the cell of origin being the precursor T cell. This study was undertaken to describe the distribution, clinical presentation, morphological spectrum, immunohistochemical profile, and outcomes in patients with LBL presenting to our institution which is a tertiary care center. Methods: A total of 41 cases of T-LBL diagnosed during a 7-year period were included in this study. These patients were stratified into T-LBL cases and T-LBL/acute lymphoblastic leukemia cases, the latter defined as those with a lymphomatous mass and more than 25% blasts in the bone marrow. Medical records were reviewed for clinical, laboratory data, imaging findings, treatment, and follow-up. The histopathology and immunohistochemistry slides were reviewed. Results: T-LBL constituted 8.4% of all NHL seen in the period. This lymphoma is most common in childhood and adolescence. Mediastinal compression and pleural effusion are very common in patients with T-LBL (65% and 40%, respectively). The morphology consists of small-to-medium sized blasts that typically are positive for CD3, CD99, and TdT. T-LBL is an aggressive disease; relapse and progression being markers of poor outcome. Conclusion: This study is a comprehensive account of T-LBL from a tertiary care center in South India which describes the distribution, clinicopathological attributes and outcome in patients with this aggressive form of NHL.