Treatment of Adult T-Cell Leukemia-Lymphoma with Zidovudine and Interferon Alfa

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Abstract
Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I)1 is the etiologic agent of adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma.2 The serum of patients with this disease contains antibodies to HTLV-I,3 and there is monoclonal integration of HTLV-I proviruses in the malignant cells.4 The principal clinical features of adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma5 are lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, skin lesions, and hypercalcemia. Compromise of the immune system can allow opportunistic infection. The blood contains abnormal lymphocytes with characteristic indented or convoluted nuclei (``flower cells''). These malignant lymphocytes are activated CD4-positive T cells with increased expression of the alpha chain of the interleukin-2 receptor.