Clonal proliferation of lymphoid and myeloid progenitor cells in patients with hematological abnormalities.

Myeloid and lymphoid stem cell colony formation (GM-CFU) and L-CFU) was studied in patients with lymphoproliferative diseases, aplastic anemia and other hematological abnormalities. Most patients with acute lymphatic leukemia had low number of L-CFU with decreased or normal GM-CFU, while in Hodgkin's disease and chronic lymphatic leukemia L-CFU growth was very poor with only minor abnormalities of GM-CFU formation. Aplastic anemia was characterized by a decreased GM-CFU and normal L-CFU. Coculture studies suggested that a diminished colony formation may be linked to circulating lymphocytes that inhibit L-CFU as well as the reduction in number of precursor cells.

[Treatment of leukemic infiltrations of the central nervous system. Preliminary communication]. / Wstepne wyniki leczenia nacieków bialaczkowych osrodkowego ukladu nerwowego.

In a group of 39 patients with acute leukaemias lumbar taps with intrathecal administration of drugs were done. In 20 cases lumbar tap was done at the time of development of neurological signs. In 19 cases one prophylactic intrathecal drug administration was done. In the treatment of leukaemic infiltrations in the central nervous system three methods were used administering intrathecally methotrexate in the first schedule, methotrexate and cytosine arabinoside in the second schedule, and cytosine arabinoside with Ultracorten in the third schedule. These methods caused usually disappearance of most clinical signs and changes in the cerebrospinal fluid. In 7 cases side effects appeared due to chemical irritation of the meninges but disappeared after several days.

[Usefulness of beta-glucuronidase activity determination in the differential diagnosis of acute leukemia]. / Ocena przydatnosci badania aktywnosci beta-glukuronidazy w róznicowaniu ostrych biallaczek.

In 95 cases of acute leukemias the cytochemical type was determined according to Löffler's classification and the activity of beta-glucuronidase was determined in blast cells. In the light of these investigations it was demonstrated that determination of the activity of this enzyme may be useful only in the differential diagnosis and classification of certain cases of acute lymphoblastic or undifferentiated-cell leukaemias.

[Preliminary observations on the results of treating malignant lymphoma with Lycurim]. / Wstepne obserwacje dotyczace wyników leczenia chloniaków zlosliwych preparatem lycurim.

The authors gave Lycurim to 30 patients with malignant lymphoma (LLC--12 cases, Hodgkin's disease - 15 cases, reticulosarcoma - 2 cases and lymphosarcoma - 1 case). The patients were divided into three groups. Group I received only Lycurim, group II - Lycurim and prednisone, group III - Lycurim and Solcoseryl. Significant improvement was observed in 22 patients, with complete remission in 5 cases and partial in 17 cases. Leucopenia and thrombocytopenia precluding treatment were never observed in cases treated simultaneously with prednisone or Solcoseryl. The authors believe that the proportion of remissions may be increased combining Lycurim with vincristine, procarbazine and glycocorticosteroids (LOP or LOPP).

[Lysosomes of blast cells in various cytochemical types of acute leukemia]. / Obraz lizosomow komórek macierzystych w róznych typach cytochemicznych ostrych bialaczek

In 25 cases cytochemical types of acute leukemia were determined using the classification of Loeffler. Three cytochemical methods used were: p.a.S.-glycogen content, pox-peroxidase activity, and esterase activity determinatione. At the same time selective identification of lysosomes in perypheral blood blast cells was done using vital euchrisine staining and fluorescence microscopy. A correlation was observed between the cytochemical types of acute leukaemia and the lysosomal pattern. The fluorescence method of the identification of lysosomes is suggested for diagnosis of acute leukaemia.

[Spontaneous nitroblue terazolium reduction test (NBT) by peripheral blood granulocytes in healthy subjects and in some hematologic syndromes]. / Test spontanicznej redukcji blekitu nitrotetrazolowego (NBT) przez granulocyty krwi obwodowej u osob zdrowych i w niektórych zespolach hematologicznych

The NBT reduction test and determination of alkaline phosphatase activity in the peripheral blood granulocytes (FAG) were done in 94 subjects including 30 blood donors donating blood for the first time and 64 cases of various haematological syndromes. Raised proportion of formazan granulocytes was found in patients with pancytopenia, acute myeloid leukaemia, chronic myeloid leukaemia during blastic exacerbation, Hodgkin's disease during exacerbation and lymphosarcoma. These results correlated with increased FAG activity. Lower proportions of formazan granulocytes capable of spontaneous reduction of NBT were found in patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia, in immunohaemolytic anaemias and in plasmocytoma. Of all the above syndromes only in chronic myeloid leukaemia impaired ability of formazan cell formation parallelled decreased FAG activity. In the remaining syndromes FAG activity in the granulocytes was normal or raised. In the remissions of Hodgkin's disease a fall was observed in the proportion of formazan granulocytes to values of FAG. In chronic myeloid leukaemia the proportion of formazan cells showed considerable fluctuations and no correlation was observed between the proportion of formazan cells and FAG activity.