Clinical characteristics and outcomes among patients with subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma.

Background: Subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma (SPTCL) is a rare and highly heterogeneous cytotoxic T-cell lymphoma with unknown epidemiology, clinical features, and prognosis.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data on patients with SPTCL from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (2000-2021). Joinpoint plots of incidence were created. Independent prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) and lymphoma-specific survival (LSS) were analyzed using univariate Cox regression analysis. Kaplan - Meier analyses were performed to assess survival.

Results: Among 258 included patients, we observed an increase in the overall incidence of SPTCL, particularly among individuals aged ≥ 50. The age at SPTCL onset exhibited a unimodal distribution, with peak incidence in the 60-69-year age group. Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that diagnoses made between 2000 and 2006, as well as age ≥ 50, were associated with reduced OS and LSS. We describe a case of primary maxillofacial SPTCL in a pediatric patient at our center.

Conclusions: SPTCL has unique clinical and pathological characteristics and tends to occur in younger patients. Early identification and active treatment are beneficial for improving prognosis and survival.