[Changes in blood lymphocytes and their subpopulation in patients with myeloblastic leukemia treated with cytostatic...

Quantitative determinations of lymphocytas were done in the active period of the disease, immediately after treatment by the COAP schedule and during remission. In 6 patients the determinations were done several times during 20 weeks of maintenance treatment. It was found that independently of the stage of the disease the absolute lymphocyte count and the counts of B and T populations were low, while that of lymphocyte O population was raised. It was observed that the reduced count concerned all 4 subclasses of lymphocytes B, that is those with surface receptors for IgA, IgM, IgG and IgE immunoglobulins. In remission the values of lymphocytes and their T and B subpopulations increased, failing, however, to reach the normal values. This rise was more pronounced in the case of lymphocytes T. Lymphocyte depression in these patients is explained by the authors as due mainly to intensive cytostatic treatment.