AGGRESSIVE GASTRIC PERIPHERAL T-CELL LYMPHOMA OF CD8(+) TYPE ASSOCIATED WITH LYMPHOMATOUS MENINGITIS

Most gastric lymphomas are of B-cell origin, and many are either low-g rade or high-grade B-cell lymphomas of mucosa-associated lymphoid tiss ue type. Gastric T-cell lymphomas are very rare, usually of CD4(+) typ e, and few have had genotypic studies. We report the case of a gastric peripheral T-cell lymphoma of CD8(+) type. Genotypic studies demonstr ated partial deletion with rearrangement of the T-cell receptor beta-c hain gene. Lymphomatous meningitis developed, and the patient died aft er only 2 months despite chemotherapy. The case is compared with the o ther gastric T-cell lymphomas that have been reported.