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In Vitro Leukocyte Thymidine Uptake in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Department of Medicine B, Roswell Park Memorial Institute, New York State Department of Health, Buffalo, New York 14203

In vitro uptake of thymidine-³H by leukocytes in 0.14 ml of blood was determined in 33 cases of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, in widely varying disease and treatment status. Eight patients (three in complete peripheral remission and five with lymphocytosis) had uptake values within the normal range. These patients appeared to have unusually benign disease, requiring little or no therapy, and all were in good functional status at last follow-up. Six patients had thymidine-³H uptake greater than 10 times the mean value for normal subjects. All of them required treatment before, during, and after the thymidine uptake study, and three died within 15 months of the study. The 19 patients with intermediate values were a heterogeneous group, including both patients who did well with no treatment and patients who died within 16 months. We conclude that failure to detect proliferating cells in the circulation indicates very mild disease, while the presence of substantial numbers of such cells is associated with aggressive disease and a poor prognosis.

¹ Present address: Consultorios Medicos, Guillermo Prieto 56, Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico.

Received 4/ 9/73. Accepted 10/24/73.