title: Monoclonal B cells in peripheral blood in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Correlation with clinical features and DNA content.
abstract: Peripheral blood from 69 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was examined with respect to B and T cell markers. Evidence for monoclonal B cell was found in 29 cases, 8 of 'high grade' and 21 of 'low grade' malignancy according to the Kiel classification. 17 out of the 29 patients had a normal lymphocyte count. Using conventional staging methods 4 cases of the 29 were in stages II and III, all others in stage IV. The proportion of S-phase cells in peripheral blood, determined by flow cytometry, was found to be elevated in cases with a monoclonal cell population. It is concluded that surface marker analysis of blood cells may be valuable as a diagnostic tool, as an indicator of prognosis and perhaps for the staging procedure of malignant lymphomas.
mesh_terms: D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000473:pathology; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000276:immunology; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell; D004247:DNA