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Chronic lymphocytic leukemia: a proliferative or accumulative disorder?
Leukemia Research
|January 1, 1983
Summary
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) involves a low rate of cell cycling, with growth primarily due to reduced cell loss rather than increased production. This suggests an accumulative, not proliferative, tumor growth pattern in CLL.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Oncology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a hematologic malignancy characterized by the accumulation of lymphocytes.
- Understanding the cell kinetics in CLL is crucial for characterizing its growth patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze lymph node cell kinetics and peripheral blood lymphocyte turnover in untreated CLL patients.
- To investigate the distribution of labeled cells within lymph node tissue.
- To define and classify tumor growth kinetics in CLL.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative 14C autoradiography of lymph nodes.
- Continuous infusion of [3H] thymidine and intralymphatic flash injection.
- Autoradiographic study of labeled cell distribution and turnover in peripheral blood and lymph nodes.
Main Results:
- Reduced labeling indices and low relative cell production rates were observed in CLL patients.
- Growth fractions were calculated to be very small (<1% to 2.4%).
- Focal distribution of labeled cells in lymph nodes supported low growth fractions.
- DNA synthesis duration was normal, but cell cycling was significantly reduced.
Conclusions:
- CLL exhibits a growth pattern characterized by a very small fraction of cycling cells at a normal rate.
- CLL kinetics align with an 'accumulative' tumor growth definition (decreased cell loss) rather than proliferative.
- Despite low cycling rates, absolute lymphoid cell production per unit time is elevated in CLL compared to healthy individuals.