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Bone marrow histopathologic patterns and immunologic phenotype in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

Abstract:

The present work analyzes the clinicobiological and immunological characteristics - the latter hitherto unexplored - of the different bone marrow histopathological patterns of the B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL). In addition, we studied whether any or some of these parameters were able to predict the probability of a particular pattern of bone marrow involvement appearing. Of the 100 B-CLL cases studied 41 had a diffuse pattern and 59 were non-diffuse - interstitial 27, nodular 11 and mixed 21 -. Neither clinical nor immunological differences were observed among the distinct non-diffuse patterns. The patients in the diffuse group displayed an increased incidence of μ+ isotype and a higher proportion of HLA-DR and HAN-PC1 positive cells while, conversely, reactivity with the FMC8 McAb was lower. In addition, patients with a diffuse pattern of BM involvement displayed features of a more extensive disease: a higher incidence of adenopathies (p<0.05), hepatomegaly (p<0.01), splenomegaly (p<0.01), anaemia (p<0.01) and thrombopenia (p<0.01) as well as higher levels of peripheral blood lymphocytosis (p<0.05) and a higher percentage of BM lymphocytic infiltration (p<0.001). Multiple regression analysis showed that thrombopenia and splenomegaly were the two most important features in predicting the probability of a diffuse pattern. © 1988 Springer-Verlag.