Table 3.
Natural killer (NK) cell lymphomas: classifications and characteristics
| Type | Nasal | Non-nasal | Lymphoma/leukemia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sex | M > F | M > F | M > F |
| Median age | 50–60 years | 50–60 years | 30–40 years |
| Site | Nasal, upper aerodigestive tract | Skin, GI, testis, soft tissue | Disseminated, liver, spleen, bone marrow, LN |
| Histology | Variable sized cells, nuclear folding, necrosis, angiocentricity | Variable sized cells, nuclear folding, necrosis, angiocentricity | Monotonous malignant cells, cytoplasm with azurophilic granules. Angiocentricity and necrosis in organs |
| Immunophenotype | CD2+, CD3−, cytoplasmic CD3+, CD16−, CD56+ | CD2+, CD3−, cytoplasmic CD3+, CD16−, CD56+ | CD2+, CD3−, cytoplasmic CD3+, CD16+/−, CD56+ |
| TCR | Germline | Germline | Germline |
| EBV | Most cases, clonal | Most cases, clonal | Most cases, clonal |
| Median survival | <12 months | <4 months | <2 months |