Current status of ATL research: efforts for prevention and precision medicine for ATL

Abstract

The introduction of new agents and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation into the treatment of ATL has activated its clinical research. However, the prognosis of ATL remains poor compared with those of other leukemias and lymphomas. Thus, seemingly we have to reconsider a new strategy of ATL therapy based on its unique characteristics. HTLV-1 infection of T cells results in clonal proliferation of infected cells that accumulate genetic and epigenetic abnormalities before the onset of ATL. Therefore, the treatment strategy should include the prevention of HTLV-1 infection and ATL development in addition to precision medicine based on the stratification of ATL cases by biomarkers that discriminate clinical stages of ATL. I summarize here the recent progress in ATL research focusing on the biomolecular abnormalities that lead to clonal expansion and malignant transformation of HTLV-1-infected T cells. Apparently, one of the bases for the prevention of ATL is to establish a disease entity of “chronic active HTLV-1 infection” that defines high-risk carriers for ATL development and enables preventive intervention.