Adult t-cell leukemia/lymphoma: case report in southern Brazil

Abstract

Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is an aggressive type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that can be primary of the skin or secondary, caused by Human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV-1) infection. The prevalence of HTLV-1 infection is high in Brazil, however reports of ATLL are rare, possibly underdiagnosed and underreported. This paper presents a case report of a patient coming from the south of Brazil, a region of the country with few cited cases of this comorbidity. It shows the importance of disclosing data on infection by the virus, so that public policies for prevention can be carried out, as well as the presentation of cases that develop ATLL.