Scientists from the Jules Bordet Institute and the University of Liège develop a predictive biomarker for a rare form of leukemia
HTLV-1 affects more than 20 million people worldwide. While most carriers remain asymptomatic, a minority develop severe complications such as Adult T-cell Leukemia (ATL), often decades after initial infection. Until now, there was no reliable tool to predict this progression. Today, a major scientific breakthrough, published this Friday in the prestigious journal The Lancet Microbe, represents a critical milestone in the study of this rare leukemia. It opens the door to earlier therapeutic intervention and more personalized medical monitoring for people living with HTLV-1.
"This biomarker can help clinicians identify which HTLV-1 carriers are likely to develop aggressive ATL," explains Dr. Anne Van den Broeke, lead author of the study and head of viral oncogenesis research at the Jules Bordet Institute and GIGA. "For the first time, we have a tool that can predict this progression years, even decades, before symptoms appear."
A predictive score built on a One-of-a-Kind biobank
The study drew on a Japanese patient cohort tracked since 2002, giving researchers access to a uniquely valuable biobank of samples collected over more than two decades. Using advanced sequencing techniques, the Belgian researchers developed a predictive score called VCE (Viral Clonality Evenness). This score measures the uniformity of the virus distribution in the patient’s cells and is a key indicator of cancerous transformation risk.
"Originally, this method was developed to answer fundamental questions about cancer evolution in preclinical models," says Dr. Michel Georges, co-author of the study and former director of the GIGA Institute. "What is remarkable is that it has proven directly applicable to human disease, with real clinical utility for patients."
A tool that answers WHO's call regarding HTLV-1
In addition to identifying high-risk individuals who could benefit from preventive care, the VCE score will also provide reassurance to around 80% of carriers currently considered "at risk" under existing tools, although they will never develop the disease, a significant step forward for their quality of life. This discovery directly answers the call issued in 2024 by the World Health Organization (WHO), which emphasized the urgent need to develop diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers to improve global care for people living with HTLV-1.
Collaborative research supported by many partners
This study is the result of an international collaboration between the Jules Bordet Institute - H.U.B., the GIGA Institute (University of Liège), Necker Hospital (AP-HP, Paris), Erasmus Medical Center (Rotterdam), and the Japanese consortium JSPFAD (Joint Study on Predisposing Factors on ATL Development). The study received significant support from The Jules Bordet Association, Télévie, the National Fund for Scientific Research (FNRS), the Foundation Against Cancer, the Léon Frédéric Fund, and the Walloon Region (WALInnov).
The VCE score is currently being evaluated for clinical implementation in several HTLV-1 endemic regions as well as among at-risk populations worldwide.
Référence
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanmic/article/PIIS2666-5247(25)00126-0/fulltext
Contact
Anne Van den Broeke - anne.vandenbroeke@hubruxelles.be
