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Nuclear Clefts in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia A Light Microscopic and Ultrastructural Study of a New Prognostic Parameter
Author(s) -
Ralfkiær Elisabeth,
Geisler Christian,
Hansen Mogens Mørk,
HouJensen Klaus
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 84
eISSN - 1600-0609
pISSN - 0036-553X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0609.1983.tb00628.x
Subject(s) - nuclear membrane , lymphocyte , pathology , ultrastructure , cell nucleus , biology , folding (dsp implementation) , cell , medicine , immunology , nucleus , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , engineering , electrical engineering
Peripheral blood lymphocytes from 48 consecutive, newly diagnosed CLL patients were examined by light‐ and electron‐microscopy for the presence of nuclear cleaving or folding. On this basis, the patients could be subdivided into 2 easily separable morphological groups. In 42 patients the lymphocytes had regular round nuclei. In 6 patients (13 %) the lymphocytes of peripheral blood had a highly irregular nuclear outline characterized by pronounced cleaving or folding of the nuclear membrane. In 4 of these 6 patients immunological investigations demonstrated membrane markers consistent with B‐cell monoclonality. Age, sex, distribution between stages as well as mode of clinical presentation were all alike in the 2 groups of patients. In spite of this a statistically significant, highly increased mortality was observed in patients with lymphocyte nuclear irregularities. Thus, 50% of all deaths occurred in this small group of patients. These findings indicate that lymphocyte nuclear cleaving or folding represents a stage‐independent prognostic parameter, which permits selection of a small but easily identified high‐risk group of patients.