Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma in Taiwan: An analysis of 17 patients and review of the literature

Aim: We reviewed our experience with adult T-cell leukemia (ATL), describing the clinical manifestations and outcome in order to facilitate case recognition in the future. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 17 patients with ATL diagnosed from January 1996 to September 2009 at Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. Results: The overall survival of the whole study group was 138 days. The medial survival of the 10 patients who received chemotherapy is 204 days. The other six patients who did not receive any chemotherapy had a median survival of 28 days. The co-infection rate with HTLV-1 and HBV or HCV is 47% and 35% respectively. Conclusion: ATL in Taiwan is a rare malignant T-cell lymphoma with a very poor prognosis. Our series raised the interesting possibility of an association with chronic hepatitis B or C.