CEREBRAL MASS LESIONS ASSOCIATED WITH ADULT T-CELL LEUKEMIA LYMPHOMA/

Three patients with adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) accompanied by cerebral mass lesions in their courses are reported. The findings o f cerebrospinal fluid and their history suggested that those three cer ebral involvements were the mass lesions derived from ATLL. Two of the three patients had acute type and the other one had chronic type ATLL . During the same period in which these three patients were observed, we experienced 17 other patients with ATLL, Although this group includ ed 12 lymphoma type and five acute type ATLL, involvement of the centr al nervous system (CNS) was not observed in these 17 patients. The inc idence of CNS involvement was 3/20 (15%). The prognoses of the three p atients after the occurrence of CNS involvement was 1, 4, and 8 months , respectively. In these three patients, cerebral lesions became the c ause of death for two patients although they continued to be in comple te remission hematologically, Cerebral lesions, once occurring, are ve ry hard to cure and spoil the quality of life for sufferers. From thes e points, prophylactic therapy against central nervous system involvem ent seems necessary not only for acute leukemias, but also for ATLL pa tients.