Researchers at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center report that targeted maternal screening for human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) could help prevent adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL), a rare and aggressive cancer linked to early-life infection.
Published in the journal JAMA Oncology, the study analyzed US cancer registry data from all 50 states and identified more than 3,000 ATLL cases over nearly two decades.
Clear geographic risk patterns
Led by Paulo Pinheiro, MD, PhD, researchers found ATLL incidence was more than 30 times higher among non-Hispanic Caribbean-born residents compared with US- or Canada-born individuals, with cases concentrated in states such as Florida and New York.
They also estimated nearly 1 million US-born children have mothers from HTLV-1–endemic regions, a group not currently covered by routine prenatal screening.
Underdiagnosis may obscure true burden
Because HTLV-1 testing is not routinely performed in T-cell lymphomas, ATLL is often misclassified as peripheral T-cell lymphoma not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS). Adjusted analyses suggested incidence may be nearly double recorded levels in some populations.
“If we do not identify HTLV-1 and ATLL correctly, we miss the opportunity to prevent a fatal cancer decades before it develops,” Pinheiro said.
Prevention opportunity in pregnancy
ATLL is primarily driven by mother-to-child transmission of HTLV-1, often through breastfeeding. Countries such as Japan have reduced incidence through maternal screening programs.
Co-author Sophia George noted, “Maternal screening is where cancer prevention and women’s health intersect most clearly for this disease.”
Senior author Juan C. Ramos, MD, added that interrupting early transmission could eliminate future ATLL risk, supporting a targeted prenatal screening approach.
Note: This news summary was generated by AI based on a published press release, followed by a review from human editors.
