Qasim A, Zacharia GS, Kandhi SD, Lajara PH, Alataa RFG, Ihimoyan A. T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma with colonic involvement: A case report. World J Clin Cases 2026; 14(17): 121921 [DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v14.i17.121921]
Corresponding Author of This Article
George Sarin Zacharia, DM, MD, Academic Fellow, Department of Internal Medicine, Bronx Care Health System, 1650 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10457, United States. george.lenx@yahoo.com
Research Domain of This Article
Oncology
Article-Type of This Article
case-report
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Qasim A, Zacharia GS, Kandhi SD, Lajara PH, Alataa RFG, Ihimoyan A. T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma with colonic involvement: A case report. World J Clin Cases 2026; 14(17): 121921 [DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v14.i17.121921]
World J Clin Cases. Jun 16, 2026; 14(17): 121921 Published online Jun 16, 2026. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v14.i17.121921
T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma with colonic involvement: A case report
Abeer Qasim, George Sarin Zacharia, Sameer D Kandhi, Priscilla Hallal Lajara, Rayan Faisal Grib Alataa, Ariyo Ihimoyan
Abeer Qasim, Sameer D Kandhi, Priscilla Hallal Lajara, Ariyo Ihimoyan, Department of Gastroenterology, Bronx Care Health System, Bronx, NY 10457, United States
George Sarin Zacharia, Rayan Faisal Grib Alataa, Department of Internal Medicine, Bronx Care Health System, Bronx, NY 10457, United States
Co-first authors: Abeer Qasim and George Sarin Zacharia.
Author contributions: Alataa RFG, Qasim A, and Zacharia GS contributed to concept and design; Qasim A, Alataa RFG, and Ihimoyan A contributed to data collection/patient management; Zacharia GS, Alataa RFG, and Qasim A contributed to literature review; Zacharia GS and Alataa RFG contributed to manuscript drafting; Kandhi SD and Lajara PH contributed to critical revision; Ihimoyan A contributed to supervision/final approval.
Informed consent statement: Informed consent was obtained from the patient for publication in a medical journal.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest to disclose.
CARE Checklist (2016) statement: The authors have read the CARE Checklist (2016), and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CARE Checklist (2016).
Corresponding author: George Sarin Zacharia, DM, MD, Academic Fellow, Department of Internal Medicine, Bronx Care Health System, 1650 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10457, United States. george.lenx@yahoo.com
Received: April 7, 2026 Revised: April 25, 2026 Accepted: May 9, 2026 Published online: June 16, 2026 Processing time: 60 Days and 5.8 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND
The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the most common extranodal site for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Most GI lymphomas originate from B-cell lineages; T-cell lymphomas are notably rare. Colonic involvement by lymphoma, unlike that of the stomach and small intestine, is particularly uncommon. Patients often present with nonspecific symptoms, including pain, diarrhea, weight loss, or bleeding. At endoscopy, these tumors appear as irregular ulcers, nodular or fungating masses, or polypoid lesions; diagnosis require histopathology and immunochemical staining.
CASE SUMMARY
This report presents an apparently asymptomatic 66-year-old man who was incidentally found to have generalized lymphadenopathy on physical examination and nodular colonic lesions during colonoscopy. Cross-sectional imaging demonstrated extensive, confluent lymphadenopathy involving the retroperitoneal, bilateral iliac, inguinal, mesenteric, pelvic, and cervical nodes, concerning for a lymphoproliferative disorder. Both nodal and extranodal lesions exhibited histologically and immunologically similar T lymphoblasts, consistent with T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma, Ann Arbor stage IV.
CONCLUSION
This case illustrates an exceptionally rare presentation of T-lymphoblastic lymphoma as colonic polypoid lesions, emphasizing the need to consider hematologic malignancies in the differential diagnosis of colorectal polyps. Early recognition, thorough histopathologic evaluation, and comprehensive staging are critical for management, given the aggressive nature and poor prognosis of these neoplasia.
Core Tip: Lymphomas involving the colon are rare, and T-cell lymphomas are even rarer. This case report describes T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma involving the colon, presented incidentally as polypoidal lesions during routine colonoscopy, mimicking benign colorectal polyps. This case underscores the importance of thorough histopathologic and immunophenotypic evaluation of colonic polyps to enable timely diagnosis of aggressive hematologic malignancies.
