Differences in Clinicopathological Characteristics and Major Prognostic Factors between B-Lymphoma and Peripheral T-lymphoma Excluding Adult T-cell Leukemia/lymphoma

A total of 541 consecutive patients treated between 1975 and 1985, 449 with B-lymphoma and 92 with peripheral T-lymphoma, excluding adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL), termed peripheral non-ATL T-lymphoma, were analysed. Clinicopathological features that were predominantly associated with B-lymphoma were low and intermediate grades (defined by the Working Formulation), diffuse large cell type, stage II disease, bulky disease, favourable extranodal sites that are defined as a group of primary tumors such as the eye, Waldeyer's ring, thyroid, and stomach, while other features predominantly associated with peripheral non-ATL T-lymphoma were high grade pathology, diffuse mixed-cell and immunoblastic type, systemic "B" symptoms, poor performance status (PS), generalized lymphadenopathy, involvement of organs such as liver, skin, and nose, leucocytosis, and a high levels of serum alkaline phosphatase. The survival curve for B-lymphoma was better (P < 0.01) than that for peripheral non-ATL T-lymphoma. Multivariate analysis revealed that the major prognostic factors were pathology, stage, and primary site for B-lymphoma, while stage, PS, and total protein levels were important for peripheral non-ATL T-lymphoma. These results indicate that B- and peripheral non-ATL T-lymphomas appear to have different biological characteristics.