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[Adult T-cell lymphoma and Reed-Sternberg cells. A clinical case]
E R Casanova1, P Llancapi, A Bravo
1Servicio de Medicina Hospital Naval de Talcahuano, Talcahuano, Chile.
Revista Medica De Chile
|October 1, 1994
Summary
Adult T-cell lymphoma (ATL), a cancer linked to Human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I), can present with Reed-Sternberg cells (RSCs). This case highlights the importance of testing for HTLV-I in suspected lymphoma diagnoses.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Virology
- Pathology
Background:
- Adult T-cell lymphoma (ATL) is a malignancy predominantly associated with Human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) infection.
- HTLV-I carriers have a 1-2% lifetime risk of developing ATL; the prevalence of HTLV-I infection in Chile is approximately 1%.
Observation:
- A 72-year-old woman, HTLV-I positive, presented with extensive adenopathy, cutaneous involvement, and an acute disease course.
- Lymph node biopsy revealed Reed-Sternberg cells (RSCs), a feature typically associated with Hodgkin's disease (HD).
Findings:
- The patient exhibited a poor response to chemotherapy, succumbing to the disease seven months post-diagnosis.
- RSCs, while characteristic of HD, are not pathognomonic and can appear in other conditions, necessitating careful differential diagnosis.
Implications:
- This report is the first documented case of ATL with RSCs in Chile.
- The findings suggest systematically testing for HTLV-I infection in cases where histopathology is consistent with Hodgkin's disease or Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in Chile.