T-cell Receptor Gamma Gene Rearrangement in T-cell Neoplasm

The discrimination between reactive and malignant cell populations in some patients with suspected T-cell lymphoproliferative disorders can be complicated and less straightforward. Often the dilemma lies in determining whether a population of lymphocytes is reactive or neoplastic. In such cases T-cell receptor (TCR)gene clonality studies have proved useful as an additional diagnostic tool. The TCRγ gene is a preferred target for TCR gene clonality as it is rearranged at an early stage of T lymphoid development rearranged in a large percent of T-cell neoplasms and also because of its relative structural simplicity.