Changes in granulopoiesis detected by in vitro colony formation in acute lymphatic leukaemia

Patients with acute lymphatic leukaemia (ALL) could be divided into two groups at diagnosis--those whose peripheral blood and/or bone marrow exhibited in vitro colony formation and those in whom it did not, but this finding did not appear to correlate with any clinical or haematological parameter, or with prognosis. The colonly-forming potential of patients with ALL in their first full remission, early relapse or second remission did not deviate significantly from previously established normal values, but the colony-forming potential of patients in early remission was very significantly reduced. No loss of colony-forming potential of normal marrow cells was noted when they were cultured with cells from patients with ALL.