Successful treatment of chronic adult T-cell leukemia with ubenimex.
A 38-year-old Japanese man had suffered from trichophyton infection for several years. The white blood cell count was 20,300/mm3, including 54% abnormal lymphocytes with irregularly convoluted nuclei. Adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) was diagnosed based on proliferation of CD4-positive lymphocytes, positive anti-HTLV-I antibody and monoclonal integration of proviral DNA. By 30 mg/day of ubenimex (Bestatin), the abnormal lymphocytes positive for CD4 in the peripheral blood were gradually reduced. Complete remission was maintained for 9 months without any antineoplastic agents. Ubenimex may have suppressed the growth of ATL cells in this patient. Accordingly, ubenimex may prove useful for treating some patients with chronic-type ATL.
Okamura
T
T
First Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Shibuya
T
T
Harada
M
M
Niho
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007930:Leucine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015461:Leukemia, Prolymphocytic, T-Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D012074:Remission Induction
D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies; D007930:Leucine; C012211:ubenimex