title: Improvement of quality of life after splenectomy in an HTLV-I carrier with T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia.
abstract: A 34-year-old woman of HTLV-I carrier with T-PLL, whose quality of life improved and survival was prolonged after splenectomy, is described. The patient had marked splenomegaly, generalized lymphadenopathy and marked proliferation of abnormal lymphocytes in the peripheral blood with an irregular nucleus, deeply basophilic cytoplasm and a single prominent nucleolus, which were positive for CD2, CD3, CD5, CD7, CD4 and CD8. Although the patient had serum antibody against HTLV-I, HTLV-I proviral DNA integration was not detected. She was diagnosed as an HTLV-I carrier with T-PLL and received combination chemotherapy and 15.1 Gy splenic irradiation. However, the generalized lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly did not improve. The patient underwent splenectomy to palliate abdominal distension and hypersplenism. After the operation, her symptoms improved dramatically and within a week her hemoglobin concentration and platelet count normalized. She was discharged from hospital two weeks after the splenectomy, however 11 months later, she relapsed and despite treatment with chemotherapy and alpha-interferon, she died two months after the second admission. Autopsy findings revealed that PLL cells had invaded the bone marrow, lymph nodes, liver, lungs, kidneys, uterus, ovaries and adrenal glands.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Chemotherapy, Kanagawa Cancer Center, Yokahama-shi, Japan.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maruta
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tomita
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Taguchi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fujisawa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Motomura
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kodama
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mohri
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishigatsubo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002353:Carrier State; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015463:Leukemia, Prolymphocytic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D017254:Leukemic Infiltration; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011788:Quality of Life; D013156:Splenectomy; D013163:Splenomegaly / Q000209:etiology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011241:Prednisone