The First Report of Familial Adult T-cell Leukemia/Lymphoma in Argentina

Abstract

Here we describe two Caucasian brothers who developed adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL), within a short period of time. These two patients have never left Argentina. Their parents are dead and according to the family history it is possible that the mother may have been affected by spastic paraparesis. The daughters reported that their mother had suffered from increasing 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 lymphoma type disorder. Both were positive for HTLV 1. The first patient died with disease progression ten months after diagnosis and the second is in partial remission 13 months after diagnosis. Immunophenotyping showed CD4+, CD5+, CD3+, CD2+, CD8 (-). Two asymptomatic brothers with positive HTLV 1 serology were detected. This is the first family case that has been reported in Argentina.

Key Words:

• Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 infection (HTLV 1)
• adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma
• herpes virus
• human retroviruses cutaneous T-cell lymphoma
• human T-lymphotropic virus type 1