Chromosome studies in patients with T‐CLL chronic lymphocytic leukemia and expansions of granular lymphocytes

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Chromosome analyses were carried out in eight patients with lymphoproliferative disorders of mature T and NK cells. Three cases were characterized by an abnormal expansion of granular lymphocytes (GL), one by a lymphoma of GL with leukemic spread, and four by an OKT4-T-CLL. In four patients cytogenetic studies were performed on bone marrow cells; in seven patients peripheral blood lymphocytes were examined by either direct preparations or PHA-stimulated cultures. Six patients displayed a normal karyotype. Two cases belonging to the OKT4-T-CLL group had a chromosome number ranging from 44 to 47, with multiple numerical and structural clonal anomalies. Clonal anomalies could be a feature of patients with the more aggressive clinical course.