Virus associated adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) in Japan: clinical, histological and immunological studies.

Virus associated adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL), which includes both adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) and its non-leukemic counterpart (NLATL) was studied clinically, histologically, and immunologically. The disease usually occurred in the sixth decade in both sexes equally. The patients had a rapid clinical course with frequent leukemic changes, lymphadenopathy, hepatomegaly, and occasional skin rash. Bone marrow involvement with mild infiltration and hypercalcemia were more frequent in ATL than in NLATL. Histologically the disease was categorized as malignant lymphoma, diffuse pleomorphic type with cerebriform nuclear giant cells. The lymphoma was characterized by diffuse proliferation of tumor cells with irregular nuclear configurations, varying in size and shape, and the presence of giant cells with highly convoluted cerebriform nuclei. The giant cells seemed to be a diagnostic marker. Immunologically, the tumor cells usually possessed the surface antigens recognized by OKT 3, 4, Leu 8 and anti-Tac antibodies, indicating that they were lymphomas of helper/inducer peripheral T-cells with the receptor for interleukin 2, but they demonstrated no helper/inducer functions. The patients often died of opportunistic infections due to T-cell dysfunction caused by the disease itself and strong chemotherapy.