Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma

What is angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL)?

Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) is a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. AITL develops when T-cells become abnormal (cancerous). T-cells are white blood cells that normally help fight infection. They are sometimes called T-lymphocytes.

The abnormal T-cells (lymphoma cells) usually build up in the lymph nodes, but they can affect other parts of the body.

AITL mainly affects adults. It is usually affects older people, usually around the age of 70.

It is fast-growing, and treatment is often started soon after diagnosis.

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For healthcare professionals

If you are a healthcare professional, use our guide to find the right information and support for your patients affected by lymphoma. This explains the support available from Macmillan and from other trusted organisations.

Symptoms of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL)

Symptoms of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) often include:

feeling generally unwell
having a rash or itchy skin
having swellings in the neck, armpit or groin - these are caused by lymphoma cells building up in the lymph nodes.

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B symptoms

Some people also have symptoms that doctors call B symptoms. These can include:

drenching night sweats which require a change of nightwear and bed covers
high temperatures (fevers) with no obvious cause
unexplained weight loss.

Knowing if you have any B symptoms will help your doctor to stage the lymphoma and plan your treatment.

Other symptoms

Sometimes AITL spreads to other areas of the body, such as the lungs or tummy area (abdomen).

Depending on where the lymphoma spreads to, this can cause symptoms such as:

shortness of breath
a swollen tummy.

General symptoms of AITL may include loss of appetite and tiredness.

We have more information about the signs and symptoms of lymphoma.

Causes of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL)

The causes of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) are mostly unknown.

Like other cancers AITL, is not infectious. It cannot be passed on to other people.

We have more information about causes and risk factors for non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Diagnosis of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL)

Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) often causes symptoms that are like other conditions. This sometimes makes diagnosis difficult.

Biopsy for lymphoma

The most common test for diagnosing lymphoma is a biopsy. A doctor will take a sample of tissue from the affected area. The most common place to take a biopsy from is an enlarged lymph node. This is called a lymph node biopsy. You may have all or a part of the lymph node removed. The tissue will be sent to a laboratory for testing. You may also have biopsies taken from other areas of your body.

You can find out more about further tests you may have in our information about non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Waiting for test results can be difficult. You may find it helpful to talk to your family, friends or specialist nurse.

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The stages and grades of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL)

Your test results will help your doctors find out how many areas of your body are affected by lymphoma and where these areas are. This is called staging.

Lymphomas are also grouped as either low-grade or high-grade. Low-grade lymphomas are usually slow growing. High-grade lymphomas usually grow more quickly. Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) is a high-grade lymphoma and normally develops quickly.

Knowing the stage and grade of the lymphoma helps your doctor plan the right treatment for you.

We have more information about the stages and grades of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Treatment for angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL)

A team of specialists will meet to discuss the best possible treatment for you. This is called a multidisciplinary team (MDT).

Your doctor, cancer specialist or nurse will explain the different treatments and their side effects. They will also talk to you about things to consider when making treatment decisions.

Treatment depends on the stage of the lymphoma, and whether you have symptoms that are causing problems. The aim of treatment is to control the lymphoma for as long as possible. This is called remission.

You may have some treatments as part of a clinical trial.

The most common treatments are:

Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is an important treatment for angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL). Often a combination of drugs are used such as:

CHOP

CHOEP, which is CHOP plus a drug called etoposide..
Targeted therapies

Targeted therapies may be used to treat AITL as part of a clinical trial.
Steroids

Steroids are drugs that are often given with chemotherapy to treat lymphomas. They help make chemotherapy more effective. Sometimes steroids are given on their own as a treatment for AITL.
Stem cell transplants
Stem cell transplants are sometimes used to help control the lymphoma or if it has come back after treatment. Stem cell transplants are intensive treatments, so it is not suitable for everyone. You may have a transplant using:

your own stem cells (autologous stem cell transplant)

cells from a donor (allogeneic stem cell transplant).

Treatments may make all signs of the AITL disappear (called remission). But there is a risk AITL will come back. This is called recurrence or relapse. If this happens, further treatment can usually be given to manage AITL. We have more information about treating lymphoma that has come back.

After angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma treatment (AITL)

People often have many different feelings when they finish lymphoma treatment. You may feel relieved that treatment has finished, but worried about what will happen in the future.

You will have appointments with your lymphoma doctor or nurse less often than before. But at the same time, you may have new challenges to cope with and things to think about.

We have information below about some of the things people ask about after lymphoma treatment. But you may have other questions or need information about something else. If there is something you want to talk about at any point after treatment, you can:

call the Macmillan Support Line free on 0808 808 00 00
chat to our specialists online
visit our Online Community to talk to people who have been affected by lymphoma, share your experience, and ask an expert your questions.

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After treatment

Other organisations who offer information and support

The organisations below also offer information and support:

Blood Cancer UK

Blood Cancer UK offers support and information to people affected by blood cancers, including lymphoma.
Lymphoma Action

Lymphoma Action provides high quality information and support for people affected by lymphoma. It provides helpline services and a range of peer support including online support meetings, educational events and webinars. Its website includes TrialsLink, a database of lymphoma clinical trials.

Lymphoma follow-up

You will have regular follow-up appointments after your treatment. You can talk to your doctor or nurse about any concerns you have at these appointments. Your doctor will want to know how you are feeling, and to check you are recovering from any side effects of treatment.

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Follow-up after lymphoma treatment

Side effects of lymphoma treatment

You may have some ongoing side effects as you recover from lymphoma treatment. You can use our impacts of cancer A-Z to search for information about managing different symptoms and side effects. Or find out more about side effects of treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma or treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Tiredness and fatigue

Tiredness (fatigue) often affects people with cancer. It can be caused by lymphoma or be a side effect of lymphoma treatment. RESTORE is an online resource that aims to help people living with cancer related fatigue.
Sexual well-being

Lymphoma and its treatment can sometimes affect your sex life. There are ways to improve your sexual well-being and to manage any problems.
Fertility
Treatment for lymphoma may affect your fertility. If you are worried about your fertility it is important to talk with your doctor before you start treatment. We have more information about:

fertility after treatment for women

fertility after treatment for men.

Sometimes side effects may continue or develop months or years after treatment. These are called late effects. We have more information about long-term and late effects of treatment for lymphoma.

Well-being and recovery

It can take time to recover after lymphoma treatment. Some days you may feel better than others.

It is important to know where to get support or information if you need it. People often need support even some time after lymphoma treatment. But sometimes it is difficult to know who to ask for help. To find support:

ask your GP or someone from your cancer team for advice about support in your area
search cancercaremap.org to find cancer support services near you
call us free on 0808 808 0000 or talk to us online - our cancer information and support specialists can offer guidance and help you find what you need.

Our course Help to Overcome Problems Effectively (HOPE) helps people during and after cancer treatment. It is a free, interactive, group based, self management support course. It runs for 6 weeks, with each weekly session lasting 2.5 hours. To find out more about HOPE courses in your area, email ServiceOpsSupport@macmillan.org.uk

A healthy lifestyle can help speed up your recovery. Even small lifestyle changes may improve your well-being and long-term health.

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Being physically active after treatment

Booklets and resources

Other useful information

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Booklets and resources

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Booklets and resources

Find non-Hodgkin lymphoma information in your language

We have a range of translated cancer information. This includes information about different cancer types, being diagnosed, cancer treatment, and side effects. We have some lymphoma information in the following languages. You can also search our most up to date list of web pages we have translated on request.

Bulgarian - Mantle cell lymphoma / Мантелноклетъчен лимфом [PDF]
German - Follicular lymphoma / Follikuläres Lymphom (FL) [PDF]
Polish - Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) / Chłoniak rozlany z dużych komórek B [PDF]
Polish - Lymphoma / Chłoniak [PDF]
Slovak - Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) / Anaplastický veľkobunkový lymfóm [PDF]
Slovak - Follicular lymphoma / Folikulový lymfóm [PDF]
Tamil - Follicular lymphoma [PDF]

If you would like any of our lymphoma information translated into your language, please email cancerinformationteam@macmillan.org.uk

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About our information

References

Below is a sample of the sources used in our angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) information. If you would like more information about the sources we use, please contact us at cancerinformationteam@macmillan.org.uk

National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Blood and bone marrow cancers. NICE Pathways. Last accessed 3 December 2020.

Auer. R, Cook. L et al. Pan-London Haemato-Oncology Clinical Guidelines. Lymphoid Malignancies. Part 5: Less common lymphoid malignancies. January 2020. Available here: Pan-London-Less-Common-Guidelines-Jan-2020.pdf (rmpartners.nhs.uk)

Reviewers

This information has been written, revised and edited by Macmillan Cancer Support’s Cancer Information Development team. It has been reviewed by expert medical and health professionals and people living with cancer. It has been approved by Senior Medical Editor, Dr Anne Parker, Consultant Haematologist.

Our cancer information has been awarded the PIF TICK. Created by the Patient Information Forum, this quality mark shows we meet PIF’s 10 criteria for trustworthy health information.