Adult T-cell leukemia cell-induced uveitis: rapid increase in adult T-cell leukemia cells disrupts the blood–ocular barrier

Adult T-cell leukemia–lymphoma (ATL), a rare lymphoid malignancy with a high mortality rate, is caused by the human T-cell leukemia virus type 1. Due to its rarity and poor prognosis, ocular manifestations have yet to be well documented. The mechanisms that underlie ocular involvement in ATL patients, thus, remain poorly understood. We report the first successfully tracked case of ocular inflammation (i.e., uveitis) that developed simultaneously in conjunction with a rapid increase in ATL cells. Our findings for this case suggest that a rapid increase in ATL cells contributed to the disruption of the blood–ocular barrier, which may, thus, represent one mechanism underlying the induction of uveitis in ATL patients. Furthermore, with the development of novel therapies, the longer survival times of ATL patients have raised new issues, such as quality of vision in ATL patients. Hematologists should be aware that a rapid increase in the number of ATL cells may cause adult T-cell leukemia cell-induced uveitis.