The Brooklyn adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) study (Meeting abstract).

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1994. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

The Brooklyn adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) study (Meeting abstract).

International Association for Comparative Research on Leukemia and Related Diseases, 16th Symposium. July 11-16, 1993, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, A53, 1993.. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ICDB/94698651
Dosik H; Welles SL; Lee SL; Cervantes J; Miotti A; Bertoni M; Levine PH; Interfaith Medical Center, St. Mary's Hosp., Brooklyn, NY

Abstract: ATL and its causal agent, the human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-I) are most prevalent in Japan and Jamaica. Another potential area of endemic HTLV-I infection is the United States (US), where most cases of ATL have been blacks who are Caribbean immigrants or born in the southeastern US. Previous studies of ATL and HTLV-I infection have suggested that the Crown Heights/Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn is an endemic area for HTLV-I associated ATL. These initial reports have been the impetus to develop an enhanced surveillance program to estimate the rate of ATL in central Brooklyn blacks (The Brooklyn ATL Study). At present surveillance has begun at seven hospitals with three additional hospitals to enter shortly. Potential study subjects who are 20 years or older are identified by review of admission and discharge diagnoses, pathology reports, laboratory reports identifying hypercalcemia and lymphocytosis and direct physician referral. When ATL is diagnosed the patients provide demographic information and a sample of blood for HTLV-I assay. In less than six months of study, nine patients with ATL have been identified; one in whom ATL was not suspected during the patient's lifetime. The benefit of knowledge of ATL to the patient is minimal, since there is no effective therapy presently. However, there is some real benefit to the families of ATL patients, since ATL is thought to be a preventable malignancy. Infants who are infected perinatally via breast milk appear to be at highest risk for developing malignancy later in life. The identification of endemic areas or populations at risk for HTLV-I infection should emphasize the need for counseling programs for HTLV-I infected women of child bearing age to prevent perinatal transmission.

Keywords: Blacks Breast Feeding Human HTLV-I Infections/COMPLICATIONS/EPIDEMIOLOGY/TRANSMISSION Leukemia, T-Cell/*EPIDEMIOLOGY/ETIOLOGY Maternal-Fetal Exchange Milk, Human New York/EPIDEMIOLOGY ABSTRACT
940830
M9480798

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