Enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma history and symptoms

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Nima Nasiri, M.D.[2]

Enteropathy-associated T-cell Lymphoma (EATL), also enteropathy-type T-cell lymphoma (ETTL), is a type of T-cell non-hodgkin lymphoma that affects the small intestine, it is composed of large lymphoid cells. Enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma has two subtypes, type I enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma which has a strong association with celiac disease and it is more common in western countries and type II enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma which is mostly found among the Asian population. Genes involved in the pathogenesis of this disease include 8q24, T-cell receptor (TCR) beta and gamma, and 16q genes. On gross pathology, multiple intestinal ulcers are characteristic findings of EATL. On microscopic histopathological analysis, monotonous cells, round or angulated vesicular nuclei, and prominent nucleoli are characteristic findings of enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma. There are no established causes for enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma. EATL must be differentiated from other diseases such as peptic ulcer, poorly-differentiated adenocarcinoma, MALT lymphoma, diffuse large B cell lymphoma, and mantle cell lymphoma.

Patient with enteropathy-assocoated T cell lymphoma may have positive history of:^[1]

• Celiac disease
• Malabsorption

• Symptoms of the enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma include:^[2]
  • Fever
  • Weight loss
  • Night sweats
  • Diarrhea
  • Skin rash
  • Chest pain
  • Abdominal pain
  • Bone pain
  • Painless swelling in the neck, axilla, groin, thorax, and abdomen