Gamma/delta T-cell lymphoma with hepatosplenomegaly: report of a case

We describe the case of a patient with peripheral gamma/delta T-cell lymphoma (T-ML) with hepatosplenomegaly, generalized lymphadenopathy, and bone marrow involvement. A 44-year-old man had lymphoma, which became clinically apparent 2 months after the onset of myositis and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. A cervical lymph node biopsy specimen showed diffuse infiltration by large neoplastic cells with vascular proliferation. The neoplastic cells expressed the T-cell receptor (TCR)delta chain detected by TCR delta 1 and delta-TCS1, CD3, CD30, CD45RO, and epithelial membrane antigen, but not the TCR beta chain detected by beta F1, CD1a, CD2, CD4, CD5, CD7, CD8, CD25, HLA-DR, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase. The cells had a clonal rearrangement of TCR gamma chain gene and a germ-line configuration of immunoglobulin heavy chain gene and TCR beta chain gene. Despite chemotherapy, the patient died of refractory lymphoma 4 months after diagnosis. Examination at autopsy revealed that the main hepatic and splenic neoplastic infiltration sites were the portal area and white pulp, respectively. Our patient differed from those with gamma/delta T-ML with hepatosplenic involvement reported previously with respect to the hepatic and splenic neoplastic infiltration patterns and the presence of lymphadenopathy.