Phenotypic and cytotoxic characteristics of peripheral T‐cell and NK‐cell lymphomas in relation to Epstein–Barr virus association

Abstract

Within the group of peripheral T-cell and NK-cell lymphomas, angiocentric lymphoma, aggressive NK-cell leukaemia ('LGL leukaemia'), intestinal T-cell lymphoma and anaplastic large cell lymphoma are the major subtypes displaying a cytotoxic phenotype. The relationships between the cytotoxic phenotype and EBV association, CD56 expression or CD4/CD8 status are secondary to the relationship between cytotoxic phenotype and specific lymphoma subtype.