Conjunctival T-cell lymphoma caused by human T-cell lymphotrophic virus infection

PURPOSE: To examine the cause of adult T-cell leukemia/ lymphoma. METHODS: We examined a conjunctival biopsy from a 29-year-old Jamaican man who developed bilateral conjunctival masses. Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma was diagnosed using routine histology, immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, microdissection, and the polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Histopathologic examination revealed a conjunctival lymphoma. Clonality of the T-cell receptor gamma gene and human T-cell lymphotrophic virus gag gene were detected in the malignant cells. The demonstration of the human T-cell lymphotrophic virus gene and the rearrangement of the T-cell receptor gene in this neoplasm provide proof that human T-cell lymphotrophic virus is the cause of this conjunctival T-cell lymphoma, CONCLUSION: Human T-cell lymphotrophic virus is the cause of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma, an aggressive malignancy of CD4+ lymphocytes. (Am J Ophthalmol 2001;131:381-383, (C) 2001 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.).