Transdifferentiation, phenotypic infidelity, progression, and transformation in T/NK-cell neoplasms: Report from the 2021 SH/EAHP Workshop

Objectives Sessions 8 and 9 of the 2021 Society for Hematopathology and the European Association for Haematopathology Workshop aimed to collect examples of transdifferentiation, lineage infidelity, progression, and transformation in precursor and mature T/natural killer (NK)-cell neoplasms. Methods Twenty-eight cases were submitted and analyzed, with whole-exome sequencing and genome-wide RNA expression analysis performed in a subset of the cases. Results In session 8, 7 T-lymphoblastic lymphoma/leukemia cases were received that showed transdifferentiation to clonally related mature myeloid hematopoietic neoplasms, including 6 histiocytic/dendritic cell lineage neoplasms and a mast cell sarcoma. Session 9 included 21 mature T-cell neoplasms that were grouped into 3 themes. The first one addressed phenotypic infidelity in mature T-cell lymphomas (TCLs) and included 8 TCLs expressing aberrant antigens, mimicking classic Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphomas. The second theme addressed disease progression in TCL and included 5 cutaneous T-cell lymphoproliferative disorders and 2 T-cell large granular lymphocyte proliferations with subsequent progression to systemic TCL. The third theme included 6 patients with TCL with T-follicular helper phenotype, mainly angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, with concurrent/subsequent clonal hematopoiesis or myeloid neoplasms and/or subsequent/concomitant diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Conclusions This cohort of cases allowed us to illustrate, discuss, and review current concepts of transdifferentiation, aberrant antigen expression, and progression in various T/NK-cell neoplasms.

Automated summary

Objectives of sessions 8 and 9 were to study examples of transdifferentiation, lineage infidelity, and progression in T/NK-cell neoplasms. A total of 28 cases were analyzed, with a subset undergoing whole-exome sequencing and genome-wide RNA expression analysis. Transdifferentiation to mature myeloid neoplasms, phenotypic infidelity in mature T-cell lymphomas, and disease progression in T-cell lymphoproliferative disorders were observed. This cohort of cases provides insights into current concepts of transdifferentiation and progression in T/NK-cell neoplasms.