Summary
Chronic lymphatic leukemia (CLL) was diagnosed in 71 patients based on clinical data. Most of the patients were in the stages 0, I and II, only 18% were in the stages III and IV according to Rai. In all cases, the disease was characterized by an increased number of B lymphocytes (B-CLL). The B cells mostly expressed a weak fluorescence intensity when tested for membrane bound immunoglobulins (Ig). In accordance to that, the quantitative measurement of Ig in the serum revealed a decrease of one or more Ig classes in 72% of the patients. No correlation existed between the number of B lymphocytes (and T lymphocytes) or the Ig concentration in the serum and the stage of the disease. To distinguish the CLL from related lymphoproliferative disorders, especially the immunocytic lymphoma, lymphnode biopsies were examined histologically and immunomorphologically for intracytoplasmic Ig. This examination confirmed the diagnosis of CLL in 33 out of 40 cases. Six lymphnodes were classified as immunocytic lymphoma of the lymphoplasmacytoid type. In three of the latter, the immunocytic lymphoma was clinically associated with decreased Ig concentrations in the serum. These findings emphasize that the clinically established diagnosis of CLL should be corroborated by immunomorphology.
Zusammenfassung
Aufgrund klinischer Befunde wurden 71 Patienten als chronisch lymphatische Leukämie (CLL) diagnostiziert, wobei die meisten den Stadien 0, I und II und nur 18% den Stadien III und IV nach Rai zuzuordnen waren. In allen Fällen stellte die Erkrankung eine Vermehrung der B-Lymphocyten Subpopulation dar (B-CLL). Beim Nachweis membrangebundener Immunglobuline (Ig) besaßen die leukämischen B-Zellen meist eine schwach ausgeprägte Immunfluoreszenz-Intensität. Damit in Übereinstimmung ergab die quantitative Bestimmung der Ig im Serum bei 72% der Patienten eine Verminderung einer oder mehrerer Ig-Klassen. Es war nicht möglich, die Zahl der B-Lymphocyten (und auch der T-Lymphocyten) oder die Konzentration der Ig im Serum mit dem Stadium der Erkrankung zu korrelieren. Um eine Abgrenzung der CLL von anderen lymphoproliferativen Erkrankungen, vor allem dem immunocytischen Lymphom, zu erreichen, wurde bei einem Großteil der Patienten ein Lymphknoten exstirpiert und histologisch sowie immunmorphologisch auf intracytoplasmatische Ig untersucht. Danach konnte die Diagnose einer CLL in 33 von 40 Fällen aufrechterhalten werden. Sechs Lymphknoten wurden als immunocytisches Lymphom erkannt, wobei sich klinisch in drei dieser Fälle eine Ig-Verminderung im Serum fand. Diese Beobachtung macht deutlich, daß die klinisch gestellte Verdachtsdiagnose einer CLL durch immunmorphologische Untersuchungen gesichert werden sollte.
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Schwarzmeier, J.D., Radaszkiewicz, T., Graninger, W. et al. Chronisch lymphatische Leukämie vom B-Zellen-Typ: Klinische und morphologische Untersuchungen zur diagnostischen Abgrenzung. Klin Wochenschr 59, 1313–1318 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01711181
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01711181
Key words
- Chronic lymphatic leukemia
- B-cell proliferation
- Hypogammaglobulinaemia
- Immunomorphology
- Immunocytic lymphoma