Characteristics of Adult T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma Patients with Long Survival: Prognostic Significance of Skin Lesions and Possible Beneficial Role of Valproic Acid.

We describe the clinical and biological features of ten patients with a survival superior to ten years (long survival), out of 175 patients diagnosed with Adult T-cell Leukemia/Lymphoma (ATL) in Martinique (1983-2013). There were 5 lymphoma and 5 chronic subtypes. Five of them (3 chronic, 2 lymphoma) had been treated with valproic acid (VA) for neurological disorders developed before or after ATL diagnosis, suggesting a beneficial role for VA as a histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDI) in ATL treatment.

[Primary pulmonary hypertension associated with HTLV-I retrovirus infection at the adult T-cell leukemia lymphoma stage].

Introduction: Primary pulmonary hypertension is a rare condition characterized by sustained elevation of pulmonary artery pressure without demonstrable cause. Risk factors such as HIV infection are associated with this disease. HTLV-1 is a retrovirus endemic in Japan and in the Caribbean and an adult T-cell leukaemia-lymphoma is the most severe complication induced.

Treatment of adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma by CHOP followed by therapy with antinucleosides, alpha interferon and oral etoposide.

Unlabelled: Adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma (ATLL) has a very bad prognosis and remains resistant to conventional therapy. Promising results have been reported with the combination of zidovudine (AZT) and alpha-interferon (IFN).

Method: A combination with IFN and antinucleoside [AZT or zalcitabine (ddC)] was applied since 1995 in Martinique (French West Indies).