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Adult T‐cell leukemia/lymphoma in Taiwan a clinicopathologic observation
Author(s) -
Su IhJen,
Chan HengLeong,
Kuo TsengTong,
Eimoto Tadaaki,
Maeda Yoshiaki,
Kikuchi Masahiro,
Kuan YeuZon,
Shih LeeYung,
Chen MingJing,
Takeshita Morishige
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19851101)56:9<2217::aid-cncr2820560914>3.0.co;2-5
Subject(s) - medicine , lymphoma , leukemia , pathology , t cell leukemia , adult t cell leukemia/lymphoma , immunofluorescence , antigen , lesion , bone marrow , antibody , virus , immunology
The retrovirus‐associated adult T‐cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) has not been previously documented in Taiwan. Five cases identified recently by the authors are reported. Three of the patients were women, and their ages ranged from 36 to 60 years. The most important diagnostic clue was the observation of polylobated lymphoid cells in the peripheral blood. Other variably observed significant features included hypercalcemia, cutaneous eruptions, osteolytic bone lesion, hepatomegaly, and lymphadenopathy. Surface marker studies revealed that the leukemic or lymphoma cells were T‐helper cells. Histopathologic examination revealed one case of pleomorphic type and three cases of medium‐sized cell type. No tissue was available for study in one case. The diagnosis of ATL was confirmed by the indirect immunofluorescence test on MT‐1 cell for antibodies to adult T‐cell leukemia virus‐associated antigen (ATLA). Three patients were dead within 6 months, and two patients had been in clinical remission for 7 and 10 months, respectively. These two latter cases were similar to the so‐called smoldering type of ATL. Two descendents among nine relatives of the patients were also positive for anti‐ATLA (22%). Two husbands were negative. Four of the five patients lived in the same county in northeastern coastal Taiwan, which suggested a possible clustering of ATL in that region.