CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL FEATURES OF ADULT T-CELL LEUKEMIA WITH CD30 ANTIGEN EXPRESSION

Recently, several cases of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) with CD30 antig en have been reported, but its clinical significance remains unknown. Accordingly, we studied CD30 antigen expression in ATL cases and docum ented the clinicopathological characteristics of these cases. Immunohi stochemical and clinical characteristics were studied in 46 patients w ith malignant lymphoma or benign lesions of lymphoid tissue, who had a ntibodies against human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I). Monoclo nal integration of HTLV-I provirus was demonstrated in the tumor cells in 36 (ATL) of the 46 cases. CD30 antigen expression was evident in s even of these 36 cases (19.4%), however it was not seen in any of the ten cases lacking the integration of HTLV-I provirus. A comparison of ATL cases with and without CD30 antigen expression revealed significan tly larger numbers of abnormal lymphocytes in the peripheral blood and lower serum calcium levels in ATL expressing CD30 antigen.