HTLV-I seroprevalence in patients with malignancy

Abstract

Since many malignancies often occur in patients with smoldering type adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) (5 of 18 cases in this report), the relationship between HTLV-I (human T-cell leukemia virus type I) infection, which is closely associated with ATL, with other malignancies in an HTLV-I endemic area was examined. Among the 394 patients with malignancies and who had not had blood cell transfusions, 61 (15.5%) tested positive for HTLV-I antibody. The prevalence was significantly higher in males older than age 40 years and females of all ages compared to age- and sex-matched healthy individuals. The overall seroprevalence (26.1%) in 291 patients with malignancies and who had had blood cell transfusions was higher than that of those who had not had blood transfusions. There was no significant correlation between the site of malignancy and antibody prevalence. These results suggest the possibility that development of malignancy may contribute to expression of latent HTLV-I infection and that HTLV-I infection may contribute to the risk of other malignancies.

Adult T-Cell Leukemia Associated with Gastric Carcinoma: Report of a Case

“…7 It is well known that the immune function of infected T cells is altered by the HTLV-I virus, and that the alternation of immune surveillance contributes to the oncogenesis in a variety of malignancies. 5,8 It is suggested that the incidence of patients with ATL having concomitant malignancies is higher than that of patients with other hematological disorders. Of 210 patients with ATL, 12 had other primary neoplasms and the incidence of double cancer was 5.7%.…”

Human T Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 Infection and Gastric Cancer Development in Japan

“…Several studies and reports have suggested that HTLV-1 infection is associated with an increased risk of malignancies other than ATL. Asou et al [1] reported that 5 of 18 smoldering-type ATL cases were complicated by other malignancies, such as cancer of the vagina, skin, stomach, and liver. By contrast, Arisawa et al [2] reported that HTLV-1 carriers did not have an increased risk of cancer in general but did have a reduced risk for gastric cancer.…”

Follow-up of asymptomatic HTLV-I carriers among blood donors in Kyushu, Japan

“…1991 77 enhanced risk of certain cancers was hypothesized. 15 The alleged increase in risk was not revealed in our study, perhaps partly because of small study size, although the effect of underestimation was taken into account. This hypothesis awaits further investigation.…”