Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

1. Iwanaga M, Watanabe T, Yamaguchi K. Adult T-cell leukemia: a review of epidemiological evidence. Front Microbiol. 2012;3:322.

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2. Ishitsuka K, Tamura K. Human T-cell leukaemia virus type I and adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma. Lancet Oncol. 2014;15(11):e517–26.

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3. Yoshida N, Chihara D. Incidence of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma in nonendemic areas. Curr Treat Options in Oncol. 2015;16(2):7.

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4. Phillips AA, Shapira I, Willim RD. A critical analysis of prognostic factors in North American patients with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-1-associated adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma: a multicenter clinicopathologic experience and new prognostic score. Cancer. 2010;116(14):3438–46.

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6. Gessain A, Cassar O. Epidemiological aspects and world distribution on HTLV-1 infection. Front Microbiol. 2012;3:388.

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7. Firouzi S, Farmanbar A, Nakai K, Iwanaga M, Uchimaru K, Utsunomiya A, et al. Clonality of HTLV-1-infected T cells as a risk indicator for development and progression of adult T-cell leukemia. Blood Adv. 2017;1(15):1195–205.

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8. •• Watanabe T. Adult T-cell leukemia: molecular basis for clonal expansion and transformation of HTLV-1-infected T cells. Blood. 2017;129(9):1071–81.This is a comprehensive overview of recently uncovered information on the molecular basis of leukemogenesis in ATL.

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9. •• Kataoka K, Nagata Y, Kitanaka A, Shiraishi Y, Shimamura T, Yasunaga J, et al. Integrated molecular analysis of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma. Nat Genet. 2015;47:1304–15.This is an integrated molecular study of 426 ATL cases which identifies alterations in T cell receptor-NFκB signaling, T cell trafficking, and other T cell related pathways which will guide the development of new diagnostics and therapeutics in ATL.

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10. Shimoyama M. Diagnostic criteria and classification of clinical subtypes of adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma. A report from the Lymphoma Study Group (1984–87). Br J Haemtol. 1991;79(3):428–37.

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11. Yamada Y, Tomonaga M, Fukuda H, Hanada S, Utsunomiya A, Tara M, et al. A new GCSF-supported combination chemotherapy, LSG15, for adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma: Japan Clinical Oncology Group Study 9303. Br J Haemtol. 2001;113:375–82.

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12. Bazarbachi A, Plumelle Y, Carlos Ramos J, Tortevoye P, Otrock Z, Taylor G, et al. Meta-analysis on the use of zidovudine and interferon- alfa in adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma showing improved survival in the leukemic subtypes. J Clin Oncol. 2010;28(27):4177–83.

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13. Okamura J, Utsunomiya A, Tanosaki R, Uike N, Sonoda S, Kannagi M, et al. Allogeneic stem-cell transplantation with reduced conditioning intensity as a novel immunotherapy and antiviral therapy for adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma. Blood. 2005;105:4143–5.

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14. Tanosaki R, Uike N, Utsunomiya A, Saburi Y, Masuda M, Tomonaga M, et al. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation using reduced-intensity conditioning for adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma: impact of antithymocyte globulin on clinical outcome. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2008;14:702–8.

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15. Choi I, Tanosaki R, Uike N, Utsunomiya A, Tomonaga M, Harada M, et al. ATLL allo-HSCT Study Group. Long-term outcomes after hematopoietic SCT for adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma: results of prospective trials. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2011;46:116–8.

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16. Gallo RC. The discovery of the first human retrovirus: HTLV-1 and HTLV-2. Retrovirology. 2005;2:17.

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17. Matsuoka M. Human T-cell leukemia virus type I and adult T-cell leukemia. Oncogene. 2003;22:5131–40.

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18. Demontis MA, Saidq MT, Golz S, Taylor GP. HTLV-1 viral RNA is detected rarely in plasma of HTLV-1-infected subjects. J Med Virol. 2015;87(12):2130–4.

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19. Melamed A, Laydon DJ, Gillet NA, Tanaka Y, Taylor GT, Bangham CR. Genome-wide determinants of proviral targeting clonal abundance and expression in natural HTLV-1 infection. PLoS Pathog. 2013;9:e1003271.

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20. Gillet NA, Malani N, Melamed A, Gormley N, Carter R, Bentley D, et al. The host genomic environment of the provirus determines the abundance of HTLV-1-infected T-cell clones. Blood. 2011;117(11):3113–22.

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21. Cook LB, Melamed A, Niederer H, Valganon M, Laydon D, Foroni L, et al. The role of HTLV-1 clonality, proviral structure, and genomic integration site in adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma. Blood. 2014;123:3925–31.

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22. • Bangham CR, Ratner L. How does HTLV-1 cause adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL)? Curr Opin Virol. 2015;14:93–100.This reviews the host and viral factors that are implicated in HTLV-1 oncogenesis.

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23. Iwanaga M, Watanabe T, Utsunomiya A, Okayama A, Uchimaru K, Koh KR, et al. Human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-1) proviral load and disease progression in asymptomatic HTLV-1 carriers: a nationwide prospective study in Japan. Blood. 2010;116:1211–9.

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24. Dahmoush L, Hijazi Y, Barnes E, Stetler-Stevenson M, Abati A. Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma: a cytopathologic, immunocytochemical and flow cytometric study. Cancer. 2002;96(2):110–6.

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25. Toulza F, Nosaka K, Takiguchi M, Pagliuca T, Mitsuya H, Tanaka Y, et al. FoxP3+ regulatory T cells are distinct from leukemia cells in HTLV-1 associated adult T-cell leukemia. Int J Cancer. 2009;125(10):2375–82.

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26. Yoshie O, Fujisawa R, Nakayama T, Harasawa H, Tago H, Izawa D, et al. Frequent expression of CCR4 in adult T-cell leukemia and human T-cell leukemia virus type 1- transformed cells. Blood. 2002;99(5):1505–11.

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27. • Bazarbachi A, Suarez F, Fields P, Hermine O. How I treat adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma. Blood. 2011;118:1736–45.This is a clinical review of the presentation, diagnosis, and treatment approach to ATL.

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28. Wattel E, Vartanian JP, Pannetier C, Wain-Hobson S. Clonal expansion of human T-cell leukemia virus type I-infected cells in asymptomatic and symptomatic carriers without malignancy. J Virol. 1995;69(5):2863–8.

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29. Yared JA, Kimball AS. Optimizing management of patients with adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma. Cancers. 2015;7:2318–29.

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30. Tokunaga M, Uto H, Takeuchi S, Nakano N, Kubota A, Tokunaga M, et al. Newly identified poor prognostic factors for adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma treated with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Leuk Lymphoma. 2017;58(1):37–44.

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31. Tsukasaki K, Hermine O, Bazarbachi A, Ratner L, Ramos JC, Harrington W Jr, et al. Definition, prognostic factors, treatment, and response criteria of adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma: a proposal from an international consensus meeting. J Clin Oncol. 2009;27(3):453–9.

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32. Suzumiya J, Ohshima K, Tamura K, Karube K, Uike N, Tobinai K, et al. The international prognostic index predicts outcome in aggressive adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma: analysis of 126 patients from the International Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma Project. Ann Oncol. 2009;20:715–21.

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33. Fukushima T, Nomura S, Shimoyama M, Shibata T, Imaizumi Y, Moriuchi Y, et al. Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG) prognostic index and characterization of long-term survivors of aggressive adult T-cell leukaemia-lymphoma (JCOG0902A). Br J Haematol. 2014;166:739–48.

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34. Yamada Y, Tomonaga M, Fukuda H, Hanada S, Utsunomiya A, Tara M, et al. A new G-CSF-supported combination chemotherapy, LSG15, for adult T-cell leukaemia-lymphoma: Japan Clinical Oncology Group Study 9303. Br J Haematol. 2001;113(2):375–82.

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35. Zelenetz AD, Abramson JS, Advani RH, Andreadis CB, Byrd JC, Czuczman MS, et al. Clinical practice guidelines in oncology: non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas. J Natl Compr Cancer Netw. 2010 Mar;8(3):288–334.

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36. Dearden CE, Johnson R, Pettengell R, Devereux S, Cwynarski K, Whittaker S, et al. Guidelines for the management of mature T-cell and NK-cell neoplasms (excluding cutaneous T-cell lymphoma). Br J Haematol. 2011 May;153(4):451–85.

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37. Tsukasaki K, Utsunomiya A, Fukuda H, Shibata T, Fukushima T, Takatsuka Y, et al. VCAP-AMP-VECP compared with biweekly CHOP for adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma: Japan Clinical Oncology Group Study JCOG9801. J Clin Oncol. 2007 Dec 1;25(34):5458–64.

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38. Ratner L, Rauch D, Abel H, Caruso B, Noy A, Barta SK, et al. Dose-adjusted EPOCH chemotherapy with bortezomib and raltegravir for human T-cell leukemia virus-associated adult T-cell leukemia lymphoma. Blood Cancer J. 2016;6:e408.

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39. Gill PS, Harrington W Jr, Kaplan MH, Ribeiro RC, Bennett JM, Liebman HA, et al. Treatment of adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma with zidovudine and interferon alfa. N Engl J Med. 1995;332:1744–8.

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40. Hermine O, Bouscary D, Gessain A, Turlure P, Leblond V, Franck N, et al. Brief report. Treatment of adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma with zidovudine and interferon alfa. N Engl J Med. 1995;332:1749–51.

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41. Matutes E, Taylor GP, Cavenagh J, Pagliuca A, Bareford D, Domingo A, et al. Interferon alpha and zidovudine therapy in adult T-cell leukemia lymphoma: response and outcome in 15 patients. Br J Haemtol. 2001;113:779–84.

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42. Ramos JC, Ruiz P Jr, Ratner L, et al. IRF4- and c-Rel expression in antiviral-resistant adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma. Blood. 2007;109:3060–8.

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43. Hodson A, Crichton S, Montoto S, Mir N, Matutes E, Cwynarski K, et al. Use of zidovudine and interferon alfa with chemotherapy improves survival in both acute and lymphoma subtypes of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma. J Clin Oncol. 2001;29(35):4696–701.

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44. •• Ishida T, Hishizawa M, Kato K, Tanosaki R, Fukuda T, Taniguchi S, et al. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma with special emphasis on preconditioning regimen: a nationwide retrospective study. Blood. 2012;120(8):1734–41.This is the largest study of ATL patients receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

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45. Hishizawa M, Kanda J, Utsunomiya A, Taniguchi S, Eto T, Moriuchi Y, et al. Transplantation of allogeneic stem cells for adult T-cell leukemia: a nationwide retrospective study. Blood. 2011;116:1369–76.

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47. Bazarbachi A, Cwynarski K, Boumendil A, Finel H, Fields P, Raj K, et al. Outcome of patients with HTLV-1-associated adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma after SCT: a retrospective study by the EBMT LWP. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2014;49(10):1266–8.

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48. Phillips AA. Hematopoeitic stem cell transplantation for adult T cell leukemia-lymphoma: who is the best candidate? New 46 Leuk Lymphoma. 2017;58(1):1–3.

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49. Marcais A, Suarez F, Sibon D, Bazarbachi A, Hermine O. Clinical trials of adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma treatment. Leuk Res Treatment. 2012;2012:932175. 8 pages

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50. Tamaki H, Matsuoka M. Donor-derived T-cell leukemia after bone marrow transplantation. N Engl J Med. 2006;354:1758–9.

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51. Okayama A, Stuver S, Matsuoka M, Ishizaki J, Tanaka GI, Kubuki Y, et al. Role of HTLV-1 proviral DNA load and clonality in the development of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma in asymptomatic carriers. Int J Cancer. 2004;110:621–5.

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52. Ishida T, Joh T, Uike N, Yamamoto K, Utsunomiya A, Yoshida S, et al. Defucosylated anti-CCR4 monoclonal antibody (KW-0761) for relapsed adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma: a multicenter phase II study. J Clin Oncol. 2012;30(8):837–42.

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53. Ishida T, Fujiwara H, Nosaka K, Taira N, Abe Y, Imaizumi Y, et al. Multicenter phase II study of lenalidomide in relapsed or recurrent adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma: ATLL-002. J Clin Oncol. 2016;34:4086–93.

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54. Fuji S, Inoue Y, Utsunomiya A, Moriuchi Y, Uchimaru K, Choi I, et al. Pretransplantation anti-CCR4 antibody mogamulizumab against adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma is associated with significantly increase risks of severe and corticosteroid-refractory graft-versus-host disease, nonrelapse mortality, and overall mortality. J Clin Oncol. 2016;34:3426–33.

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55. Sugio T, Kato K, Aoki T, Ohta T, Saito N, Yoshida S, et al. Mogamulizimab treatment prior to allogeneic hematopoetic stem cell transplantation induces severe acute graft-versus-host disease. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2016;22:1608–14.

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65. Suehiro Y, Hasegawa A, Iino T, Sasada A, Watanabe N, Matsuoka M, et al. Clinical outcomes of a novel therapeutic vaccine with Tax peptide-pulsed dendritic cells for adult T cell leukaemia/lymphoma in a pilot study. Br J Haematol. 2015;169(3):356–67.https://doi.org/10.1111/bjh.13302.

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