Indolent Lymphoproliferative T-Cell Disorders Associated With Gastrointestional Disease: Diagnostic Challenges and Outcomes

Lymphoproliferative diseases arise when the physiological mechanisms that control the proliferation of T and B lympho-cytes are disrupted, resulting in an uncontrolled and autonomous increase in immune cells leading to lymphocytosis and lymphadenopathy, and often to the involvement of extranodal sites. The differential diagnosis of malignant T cell tumors involves other neoplasms and non???clonal T cell proliferations. Immunological markers are essential, as a first step, to distinguish between T-cell and non???T-cell disorders. It must be established based on the configuration of the genes of the TCR chain to rule out that the picture is not reactive to other underlying diseases. This clinical review and accom-panying case reports highlight the diagnostic challenges associated with indolent lymphoproliferative T-cell disorders, which in many cases may represent the clinical manifestation of a single disease. Particularly we focus on gastrointesti-nal manifestations that could be expression either of lymphoproliferative disorder either of autoimmune disease either of both. The correct interpretation of the different clinical situations can help in the diagnostic and therapeutic process.