Search for evidence of feline leukemia virus infection in humans with leukemias, lymphomas, or soft tissue sarcomas.

Two-hundred and thirty-nine patients, including 66 with soft tissue sarcomas and 173 with hematologic cancers, were investigated for evidence of infection with feline leukemia virus (FeLV). Included in this group were 2 patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia who had lived in the same household with leukemic cats. None of the patients demonstrated measurable levels of neutralizing antibody to FeLV or had detectable FeLV antigens in peripheral blood normal leukocytes or leukemic cells. In a smaller number of patients, there was no evidence of antibody to FOCMA or of FOCMA on tumor cells in the bone marrow.