Cytogenetic abnormalities in noncutaneous peripheral T-cell lymphoma

Cytogenetic studies were performed on lymph nodes from eight patients with noncutaneous peripheral T-cell lymphoma. At least one chromosomally abnormal clone was identified in each patient. Chromosomes having structural abnormalities in two or more patients included chromosome #1 (four), chromosome #2 (three), chromosome #4 (two), chromosome #8 (two), chromosome #14 (two), and chromosome #17 (two). The abnormal clones from seven patients had structural abnormalities involving either chromosomes #1 or #2, and the eighth patient had an abnormal clone that was trisomic for chromosome #1. We did not observe structural rearrangements in chromosome #14 at bands q11 or q12 in any of our cases, in contrast to previous suggestions that this chromosomal region may play a critical role in the development of T-cell lymphomas. Our findings suggest that other nonrandom chromosome abnormalities are common and may be important in the development of noncutaneous peripheral T-cell lymphomas.