Peripheral T-cell lymphoma

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Stages

If you're diagnosed with peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL), the next step is to find out how much and where the cancer has spread. This is called the stage. Healthcare professionals may use imaging and biopsies to determine the stage by looking at how big the cancer is, its location and the distance it has traveled from where it first started.

Your healthcare team creates your treatment plan based on the stage. A higher stage number means the cancer is more advanced.

The stages of PTCL typically range from 1 to 4:

  • Stage 1. The cancer typically affects a single lymph node area or extranodal lesion, which means an area beyond the lymph node.
  • Stage 2. The cancer involves two or more lymph node areas on the same side of the diaphragm.
  • Stage 3. The cancer is more advanced and involves lymph nodes above and below the diaphragm or lymph nodes above the diaphragm and involving the spleen.
  • Stage 4. The cancer has traveled outside of the lymph nodes and may reach organs including the liver, spleen, skin, GI tract and bone marrow.

Some PTCL subtypes have a bulky stage. Bulky means a large mass, usually around 4 inches (10 cm).

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Diagnosis & treatmentDoctors & departments
April 10, 2026
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Peripheral T-cell lymphoma