Adult T-cell Leukemia/Lymphoma: A Problem Abroad and at Home.
Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is a rare T-cell disorder that is etiologically linked to chronic infection with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1. ATLL is divided into four subtypes: acute, lymphomatous, chronic, and smoldering. The acute and lymphomatous variants are often described clinically as the aggressive types of ATLL. Treatment strategies traditionally have focused on antiviral therapy with zidovudine and interferon-alpha and combination chemotherapy. Novel therapeutic approaches include the use of monoclonal antibodies, anti-CCR4 therapy, immunomodulatory therapy, and anti-TAX vaccines. Future research must focus on multi-institutional clinical trial participation because of the rarity of this deadly hematologic malignancy.
Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 170 Manning Drive, Campus Box 7305, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7305, USA. Electronic address: cedittus@gmail.com.
Christopher
C
Dittus
Division of Hematology and Oncology, Boston University Medical Center, 820 Harrison Avenue, FGH Building, 1st Floor, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
J Mark
JM
Sloan
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015459:Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D054398:Receptors, CCR4 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; C515354:CCR4 protein, human; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D054398:Receptors, CCR4; D014765:Viral Vaccines; D015215:Zidovudine
Aggressive lymphoma; HTLV-1; Hypercalcemia; Leukemia; Lymphoma; Rare cancer; T-cell lymphoma