Correlation of prognostic factors and blood lymphocyte subtypes in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

The total lymphocyte, T, B, and null cell content of peripheral blood from 32 healthy individuals and 30 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was determined. The patients had a significant reduction of B cells (complement receptor and membrane immunoglobulin positive cells) and a significant reduction in T cells. Correlation of patients' characteristics with lymphocyte abnormalities demonstrated several findings. Patients with advanced disease (III and IV) had significantly lower total lymphocyte and T cells than patients with localized disease (I and II) or normal controls. Patients with hypogammaglobulinemia had lower total lymphocyte and T cells than patients with normal gamma globulin status or normal controls. Patients with diffuse histology and B symptoms had lower total lymphocyte and T cells than normal controls. Discriminant analysis of lymphocyte populations categorized patients by disease extent and gamma globulin status with 70 and 68% accuracy, respectively.