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Category:

Lymphoid Neoplasms

Number of Conditions: 1

Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (ALCL)

Specialty: Hematology

Category: Lymphoid Neoplasms

Sub-category: T-Cell Lymphomas

Symptoms:
swollen lymph nodes; fever; night sweats; fatigue; skin lesions; weight loss; abdominal or chest pain

Root Cause:
Proliferation of T-cells expressing anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), driven by genetic mutations or translocations.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Lymph node biopsy, immunohistochemistry (CD30-positive cells), ALK gene rearrangement testing, and imaging (CT, PET).

Treatment:
Chemotherapy (CHOP or brentuximab-containing regimens), targeted therapy (e.g., ALK inhibitors), and sometimes stem cell transplantation.

Medications:
Brentuximab vedotin (anti-CD30 antibody-drug conjugate), crizotinib (ALK inhibitor), and CHOP components (cyclophosphamide , doxorubicin , vincristine , prednisone ).

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare, accounting for about 2% of all non-Hodgkin lymphomas; more common in children and young adults.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Genetic mutations, compromised immune system, and family history.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Good for ALK-positive ALCL (5-year survival ~70–80%), poorer for ALK-negative subtypes.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Relapse, secondary malignancies, and long-term chemotherapy effects.