GASTROINTESTINAL LESIONS IN PATIENTS WITH ADULT T-CELL LEUKEMIA/LYMPHOMA

Abstract

Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is a peripheral T-cell malignancy caused by human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1). The clinical characteristics of ATLL are very heterogeneous, and ATLL is a systemic disease with an unfavorable prognosis. It is difficult to perform gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy in all ATLL patients due to the poor condition of some ATLL patients. However, we observed that the characteristic endoscopic findings of the GI tract of ATLL patients consist of multiple mucosal protrusions and ulcers, GI wall thickening, and the presence of similar macroscopic findings in various GI organs such as the stomach and colon. The endoscopist should organize current classification methods and endoscopic findings to assist in the diagnosis of ATLL, because patients with ATLL have heterogeneous GI lesions as part of the systemic disease of ATLL. We searched PubMed for articles published between 1965 and 2020 using the terms “adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma” and “gastrointestinal tract”. We also review endoscopic and characteristic findings of ATLL infiltration in the GI tract.