Adult T-cell leukemia lymphoma with metastatic calcification

A 52-year-old man, who came from Kagoshima prefecture, was hospitalized because of lumbago and lymphadenopathy. On admission, mild anemia and leukocytosis with atypical lymphoid cells were seen in the peripheral blood. Flow cytometry of the abnormal lymphocytes showed that they expressed CD4, and CD25, but not CD8. Anti HTLV I antibody was expressed in the serum. Atypical lymphoid cells had proviral DNA with restriction enzyme EcoRI. Lymphnode biopsy was performed and the specimens of lymphnode showed diffuse infiltration of abnormal lymphocytes. So we diagnosed Adult T-cell leukemia lymphoma. The patient's serum calcium level was increased, so he lost consciousness and became oliguric and developed acute renal failure. Hemodialysis was required to control azotemia. During the time of hemodialysis, cardiac arrest was occurred and he died. Autopsy confirmed the presence of a metastatic calcification in various organs, such as myocardium, alveolar septa of the lungs, and gastric mucosa. A metastatic calcinosis was found in the myocardium, which was thought to be the cause of his heart failure. But at the ATLL cells didn't infiltrate in the myocardium. Calcinosis was a significant complication of neoplastic disease in these patients and contributed to morbidity and mortality.