Chronic lymphatic leukaemia: correlation of immunofluorescent characteristics and clinical features.
60 patients with chronic lymphatic leukaemia (CLL) were classified according to the immunofluorescent characteristics of their lymphocytes. A group expressing surface membrane (Sm) IgM had a significantly less aggressive disease than those expressing a mixture of SmIgM and SmIgD or those without surface immunoglobulin. The patients were older than in most comparable series and had a 2:I preponderance of women. It is suggested that especially among old ladies there is a benign variety of CLL which expresses SmIgMK, and that determination of the SmIg class in CLL has prognostic value.
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000276:immunology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000032:analysis; D012737:Sex Factors
D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell