A clinical pathological analysis of subcutaneous panniculitis-like T cell lymphoma

Objective: To investigate the clinical pathological features, the expression of immunohistochemical markers and the prognosis of subcutaneous panniculitis-like T cell lymphoma (SPTL). Methods: Clinical pathological analysis and immunohistochemical staining were employed. Results: Twenty cases of SPTL were studied, which including 9 males and 11 females with median age of 29.5 years old. The main clinical manifestations were symptomless nodules, plagues and masses. The exophthalmoses were detected in two cases. Histologically, the tumor infiltration pattern was panniculitis-like in the adipose layer and the tumor cells were in different size with predominant atypia. There were beanbag cells, granulomas, pieces of necrosis and blood vessels infiltrated by tumor cells. The tumor cells were positive to CD2, CD3, CD8, CD45R0, TIA-1 and granzyme B, while were negative to CD4, CD2, CD56 and CD68. CD30 expression was found in some big tumor cells in two cases. In the 11 follow-up cases, seven of them were died of SPTL. Conclusions: SPTL has the specific clinical pathological manifestations and the tumor cells express some specific immunohistochemical markers. The ulceration on the lesion and hemophagocytic syndrome may signify the poor prognosis.