The cutaneus T‐cell lymphomas (CTCL) arc a group of diseases characterized by malignant proliferations of CD4 positive T‐cells having monoclonally rearranged T‐cell receptor (TCR) genes. A recent study using monoclonal antibodies to two TCR β‐chain variable (V) region gene products showed preferential expression of the Vβ8 gene product in these tumors. The finding of predominant usage of a single Vβ gene would imply that selection by antigen is important in the etiology of these tumors. We have studied eight cases of cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma and one cell line derived from a patient with mycosis fungoides/Sezary syndrome, using an extended panel of antibodies to V region gene products. Contrary to the previous report, in our study expression of the Vβ8 gene product by tumor cells was not observed in any of the cases of CTCL or in the tumor cell line studied; preferential use of any of the variable region genes recognized by the antibodies in the panel was