S. Tamiya et al., ADULT T-CELL LEUKEMIA FOLLOWING HTLV-I-ASSOCIATED MYELOPATHY TROPICALSPASTIC PARAPARESIS - CASE-REPORTS AND IMPLICATION TO THE NATURAL COURSE OF ATL, Leukemia, 9(10), 1995, pp. 1768-1770
Adult T cell leukemia (ATL) is the T cell malignancy caused by human T
lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I), and HTLV-I is also the causative
agent of HTLV-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HA
M/TSP). Although HTLV-I causes both diseases, concomitant occurrence i
s reported to be rare. This paper describes two cases of HAMTTSP that
developed into lymphoma-type ATL after the onset of HAM/TSP. In one ca
se, the same HTLV-I infected clone could be detected by polymerase cha
in reaction in peripheral blood obtained when the patient was diagnose
d as HAM/TSP. This finding showed that the HTLV-I clone already existe
d at the stage of HAM/TSP. Since frequent detection of clonal prolifer
ation of HTLV-I infected cells has been reported previously in patient
s with HAM/TSP, careful follow-up is needed for patients with HAM/TSP.