[Spontaneous remission in chronic lymphatic leukemia].
We describe three patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia who had a complete spontaneous remission, and review the cases reported in the literature. The mechanism leading to spontaneous remission is unknown, but it is speculated that the loss of a leukemia inducing oncogene or the reappearance of a leukemia suppressor gene could be involved. The interesting observation that, in some reported patients, the remission followed a viral infection, raises the question whether a virus-induced defense mechanism plays a causal role.
Frick
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Medizinische Klinik, Universitätsspital Zürich.
Frick
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D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008214:Lymphocytes; D008297:Male; D009365:Neoplasm Regression, Spontaneous; D011379:Prognosis; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000276:immunology