Abstract
We describe the effect of splenic irradiation (SI) (0,5–1 Gy weekly) on lymphocyte subpopulations for 7 patients with progressive B chronic B-lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). Using specific cellular characteristics we could distinguish normal from abnormal cells. The irradiation resulted in a decrease of lymph node size, reduction in spleen volume and decrease in peripheral blood lymphocytes. The one exception was a patient with a prolymphocytoid transformation of B-CLL. For 3 patients SI had to be interrupted or stopped because of severe cytopenia. Quantitation of malignant B cells and normal T lymphocytes revealed that the total irradiation dose which resulted in a specific decrease of malignant lymphocytes varied from patient to patient. Normal T-cell subpopulations, which were increased before SI, decreased to normal or abnormally low values during SI. In previously untreated patients, natural killer (NK) cell numbers decreased more rapidly than T-cell subpopulations. For 2 patients refractory to chemotherapy an increase of NK cells was observed upon SI.
Original language | Undefined |
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Pages (from-to) | 496-505 |
Journal | European Journal of Haematology |
Volume | 41 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1988 |
Keywords
- B-CLL
- Splenic irradiation
- IR-70836
- lymphocytic disorders
- lymphocyte subpopulations