Comprehensive genomic analysis identifying heterogeneity in peripheral T‐cell lymphoma

Abstract

Peripheral T‐cell lymphoma (PTCL) is a heterogeneous entity generally with a poor prognosis. Recent genomic analyses have characterized genomic alterations and described gene expression profiling and epigenetic mechanisms in PTCL, leading to reveal molecular pathophysiology in detail. One of several important findings is that heterogeneities exist in both the disease and in individuals. Among PTCL subtypes, adult T‐cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) and peripheral T‐cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (PTCL‐NOS) are common in Japan. ATLL is an incurable T‐cell malignancy induced by human T‐cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV‐1). The global genomics of ATLL can be summarized as alterations involving T‐cell receptor (TCR) signaling and immune escape mechanisms. This highlights the fact that ATLL is a viral‐mediated T‐cell malignancy. Interestingly, several previous studies have found that the genomics of ATLL differ according to geographical region and age at diagnosis, suggesting disease heterogeneity, though they share HTLV‐1 infection as initial disease hit. Clonal expansion of the cells acquired by somatic mutations in ATLL‐related genes is identified in a part of HTLV‐1 carriers who developed ATLL later. The risk for ATLL may be updated based on findings in detail. PTCL‐NOS is a heterogeneous disease type of T‐cell lymphoma that does not correspond to any other type of PTCL. Several studies have stratified PTCL‐NOS according to transcriptional, genomic, microenvironmental, and clinical aspects. These kinds of analysis from multiple aspects are useful to understand the heterogeneous group. These efforts will help guide suitable translational research to target PTCL.