Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma is an aggressive T-cell malignancy caused by the long-term infection of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1). Our understanding of clinical features still largely relies on the Shimoyama classification developed 30 years ago, which described the 4 clinical subtypes (the smoldering, chronic, lymphoma, and acute types) based on the manifestations of lymphocytosis, elevated lactate dehydrogenase, hypercalcemia, lymphadenopathy, and involvement of the skin, lung, liver, spleen, central nervous system, bone, ascites, pleural effusion, and gastrointestinal tract. HTLV-1-associated lymphoma has a variety of presentations but the presentation of massive lymphadenopathy and compression symptoms is rare and has not been emphasized in the literature. In this article, we describe 2 cases of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphomas that presented with massive cervical nodes or mediastinal nodes with compressing symptoms as the major presenting clinical features. Clinicians should remain aware of this type of presentation by HTLV-1-associated lymphoma, especially in patients who came from endemic areas, even if not all clinical features are present and particularly with hypercalcemia and lytic bone lesions.
Keywords: HTLV-1; human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I–associated lymphoma; lymphadenopathy.