[Course of chronic lymphatic leukemia in 2 age groups: older and younger patients]

The authors analysed 202 cases of chronic lymphatic leukaemia comparing the course of this disease in patients above and below 60 years of age. The observation included patients with various forms of this disease--with morphological and clinical findings compatible with mild disease and cases with severe course with complications. It was observed that in severe form of lymphatic leukaemia the course of the disease is similar in both groups of patients and the shorter survival of patients in the older group is frequently due to coexistence of other diseases impairing the general condition and changes connected age. On the other hand, a mild, oligosymptomatic course of the disease was observed more frequently in older patients who did not require intense treatment in hospitals.