Clinical significance of beta 2-microglobulin in serum of adult T cell leukemia.

To clarify the clinical and biological significance of β 2 -microglobulin (β 2 -M) in serum of adult T cell leukemia (ATL) associated with human lymphotropic virus type-I (HTLV-I), β 2 -M was measured in 52 patients with ATL (acute ATL, 35 patients; lymphoma ATL, two patients; chronic ATL, 12 patients; smoldering ATL, three patients), and it was compared with serum lactic dehydrogenase (LDH). Statistical analysis disclosed a correlation between β 2 -M level and the percentage of abnormal lymphocytes (P<0.05) and platelet count (P<0.01). There was a correlation between LDH and platelet count (P<0.01), and a tendency of correlation between LDH and the percentage of abnormal lymphocytes (P<0.15). Significant difference was present in β 2 -M as well as LDH between acute ATL and chronic ATL (P<0.01), and between acute ATL and smoldering ATL (P<0.01). We also investigated a significant inverse correlation between β 2 -M level as well as LDH level and the length of survival after the initial diagnosis (P<0.01). THUS, THE β 2 -M level may indicate the aggressiveness of ATL cells and predict the length of survival