Characteristic Clinical Features of Adult T-Cell Leukemia (ATL) in Sado Island

Abstract

Eight patients with adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) were treated in our Department for last 7 years. Six patients out of eight were the native residents of Sado Island who showed characteristic clinical features, e.g. longer survival than that of the patients in other endemic areas and a variety of skin lesions. In view of the fact that the total population of this island is about 80,000, the incidence of ATL patients in this island is thought to be high.
All patients tested possessed both ATL-associated retrovirus (ATLV)-antigens in peripheral blood lymphocytes after short-time culture and natural antibody in serum against ATLV. The findings agreed with the results of virological analysis for patients with ATL in other areas of Japan. From the point of view of the similarity of ATLV, the route and clustering of ATLV were discussed. Furthermore, it was speculated that the characteristics of clinical features of the patients in Sado Island may due to mutation of ATLV and/or the immunological change of these residents against ATLV.