Clinical and laboratory features of adult T-cell leukaemia lymphoma in Barbados.
We describe the clinical and pathological features of 23 Afro-Caribbean patients with adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma admitted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Barbados over a 5 year period. There were 9 males and 14 females, with a median age of 38 years (range 14-84). Twelve had acute leukaemia, 10 lymphoma (including 4 with solitary extra nodal lesions) and 1 smouldering subtype. Two patients had a past history of tropical spastic paraparesis/HTLV I associated myelopathy (TSP/HAM). The prognosis was poor, with only 3 complete responses to chemotherapy (CHOP) lasting from 9 to 36 months. We conclude that ATLL in Barbados is similar to the disease in the other Caribbean islands and Japan, except that in Barbados the age of onset is over a decade younger than in Japan.
Deardren
C
C
Department of Medicine, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, St Michael, Barbados.
Corbin
D
D
Prussia
P
P
Williams
E
E
Hanshard
B
B
Matutes
E
E
Catovsky
D
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001460:Barbados; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015459:Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies