[An autopsy case of adult T-cell leukemia with acute hepatic failure]

An autopsy case of ATL with acute hepatic failure is reported. A 39-year-old man born in Miyazaki Prefecture was admitted because of jaundice and general malaise of about 10 days' duration. Palpation of the abdomen revealed moderate hepatomegaly: the patient had clear consciousness. The white cell count was 62,500/mm3, with 34% abnormal lymphocytes having lobulated or convoluted nuclei. Marked liver dysfunction (TB 30.5 mg/dl; GOT 2,740 U; GPT 1,031 U; LDH 3,833 U) was noted. He developed hepatic coma and died of acute hepatic failure on the third hospital day. At autopsy, the enlarged liver weighed 2,000 g and was diffusely infiltrated by ATL cells.