The first report of familial adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma in Argentina

Here we describe two Caucasian brothers who developed adult T-cell leukemia /lymphoma (ATLL), within a short period of time. These two patients have ne ver left Argentina. Their parents are dead and according to the family hist ory it is possible that the mother may have been affected by spastic parapa resis. The daughters reported that their mother had suffered from increasin g difficulty in walking for many years which finally made it impossible for to her walk. There are no other data to support the presumptive diagnosis. One of the patients presented with acute disease while the other had a lym phoma type disorder. Both were positive for HTLV 1. The first patient died with disease progression ten months after diagnosis and the second is in pa rtial remission 13 months after diagnosis. Immunophenotyping showed CD4+, C D5+, CD3+, CD2+, CD8 (-). Two asymptomatic brothers with positive HTLV 1 se rology were detected. This is the first family case that has been reported in Argentina.