Leucemia/linfoma de células T del adulto: a propósito de un caso

Adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma is a mature peripheral T-cell leukaemia of adults associated with infection by the human retrovirus HTLV-1 that presents with highly variable systemic and cutaneous manifestations. HTLV-1 is estimated to affect at least 5-10 million people worldwide, and its geographic distribution in endemic regions is closely related to ATLL prevalence. Adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma is classified into different clinical types according to its clinical characteristics, with acute and lymphomatous types having the worst prognosis. Differential diagnosis of adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma can be difficult due to the non-specific symptoms in affected individuals. The Clinical Analysis laboratory can help initiate the diagnosis by visualising pathognomonic cells for adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma in a peripheral smear.