Phenotypic and functional changes in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

The study was carried out in 170 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) at the onset, grouped according to RAI staging system, and in 20 controls. Using the rosette tests (E4 degrees, E 29 degrees, EAC and M) different lymphocytic subpopulations were detected. Their functional competence was studied by in vitro response to mitogens (PHA, PWM) and to an antigen (PPD).

Changes of the cellular immunity tests during the evolution of Hodgkin's disease.

To detect the changes of cellular immunity which occur at the same time as the pathological process and to find out the possible biologic indicators with prognostic value, a study was carried out on 140 patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD) in different clinical periods: onset, under therapy (cytostatics and/or irradiations), remission, after splenectomy and under immunotherapy. The study of cellular immunity included the determination of lymphocytes subpopulations by the rosette tests and their functional estimation by tests of blastic transformation to mitogens and antigens. Though the values obtained presented a wide dispersion, the rosette tests showed variations in correlation with the clinical stage, therefore with the severity of disease.

Comparative cytogenetic and cytologic study in malignant lymphomas.

The possibility of a cytogenetic-cytologic correlation with implications in the diagnosis, evolutivity and prognosis of malignant lymphomas was studied. Cytogenetic investigations were carried out comparatively in the lymph node and spleen lymphoid cells from 25 patients with malignant lymphomas and in normal subjects or patients with malignant tumors. The dominant malignant cellular type was found to correspond genotypically to the abnormal clone.