Monocytosis As Prognostic Factor in Aggressive, Non-Primary Cutaneous Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma: A Study of 251 Cases

Peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) is a heterogeneous family of entities with a worse prognosis, stage by stage, than their B-cell counterparts. We have previously reported that an absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) <1000/uL is associated with a worse prognosis in Peruvian patients with PTCL (Castillo et al. 2010). The goal of this study is to investigate the prognostic value of absolute monocyte count (AMC) in the survival of patients with PTCL.

A total of 251 cases of aggressive, non-primary cutaneous PTCL diagnosed at our institution between January 1997 and January 2012 were reviewed, reevaluated according to their morphological, immunological and clinical characteristics, and reclassified according to the 2008 WHO classification of lymphoid neoplasms. Characteristics will be presented descriptively. Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate overall survival (OS) curves, which were compared using the log-rank test. The multivariate analysis was performed using the Cox proportional-hazard regression test.

According to the new WHO classification of lymphoid neoplasms, 104 cases (41%) were classified as adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL), 103 cases (41%) as PTCL, unspecified (PTCLU), 27 cases (11%) as analplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), 11 cases (4%) as extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma (NKTCL), nasal type, 4 cases (2%) as angioimmunoblastic lymphoma (AIL), and 2 cases (1%) were diagnosed with ALK+ ALCL. The median age at diagnosis was 57 years (range 14–92 years); 47% of patients were >60 years. The male-to-female ratio was 1:1. ECOG performance status >1 was seen in 51%, LDH was elevated in 67%, advanced stage was seen in 73%, and >1 extranodal sites were seen in 22% of the patients. Bone marrow involvement was reported in 30% and B symptoms in 64% of patients. An International Prognostic Index (IPI) score 3–5 was seen in 55%, and a Prognostic Index for PTCLU (PIT) score of 2–4 in 63%. The median overall survival (OS) for the whole group was 10 months. The IPI score, the PIT score, ALC <1000/uL and AMC >800/uL (Figure) showed statistical significance in the univariate survival analysis (p<0.001, p<0.001, p=0.001 and p=0.001, respectively). In the multivariate analysis, PIT score and AMC >800/uL showed statistical significance (p=0.006, p=0.046, respectively).

Monocytosis, defined as AMC >800/uL, and the PIT score were independent prognostic factors for OS in patients with aggressive, non-primary cutaneous PTCL.

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.