title: Clinical and immunological findings in large B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
abstract: In order to define the characteristics of B-CLL cases in which the predominant cell population is composed of large lymphocytes, we studied 97 patients with B-CLL, comparing the cell morphological features with the clinical and biological findings and the immunological phenotype of the proliferating cells. Multivariant analysis showed that there were three significantly different morphological groups: Typical CLL, large lymphocyte CLL (LLL), and CLL with prolymphocytes (CLL/PL). The LLL group showed a greater incidence of lymphadenopathies (P less than 0.05) and higher percentages of both mu + delta + cells (P less than 0.01) and Fmc/7+ cells (P less than 0.001) than in typical CLL. The main differences between LLL and CLL/PL were the peripheral blood lymphocyte count and the percentage of Fmc/7+ cells (P less than 0.002)--both higher in the CLL/PL group--and the percentage of mouse rosette-forming cells (P less than 0.01)--lower in CLL/PL. Further studies including functional assays and survival analyses could contribute to elucidating whether these groups are different entities or a single disease with marked heterogeneity.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Hematologia, Hospital Universitario, Salamanca, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Orfao
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: San Miguel
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Cañizo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Galindo
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Caballero
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jimenez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lopez Borrasca
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000032:analysis; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000145:classification* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm