title: Clinical trials of adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma treatment.
abstract: Adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is an aggressive malignancy of mature activated T cells caused by human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-1). Prognosis is severe because of intrinsic chemoresistance and severe immuosuppression. Four different subtypes are described with different outcomes, and treatment strategies vary according to the different clinical courses. Japanese trials show that combinations of chemotherapy can increase the response rates especially in the lymphoma subtype. However, patients have a high rate of relapse and the outcome remains extremely poor. Recently, a worldwide meta-analysis demonstrated that the combination of Zidovudine and Interferon-alpha (IFN) is effective in the leukemic subtypes (smoldering, chronic, and acute) and influences favorably the course of the disease. In order to prevent relapse, clinical trials testing new drugs such as monoclonal antibodies or combinations such as arsenic/IFN are needed. Finally, allogeneic stem cell transplantation is a feasible option but bears a very high rate of complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Necker Hospital, 75473 Paris Cedex 15, France.
authors.forename: Ambroise
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marçais
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Suarez
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sibon
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bazarbachi
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hermine