Lymphoplasmacytic/lymphoplasmacytoid lymphoma: a clinical entity distinct from chronic lymphocytic leukaemia?

Clinical data of 116 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and of 114 patients with lymphoplasmacytic/lymphoplasmacytoid lymphoma (synonym: LP immunocytoma, IC) as diagnosed according to the Kiel classification were compared. This interim evaluation of a prospective multicenter study of the Kiel Lymphoma Study Group characterizes IC the less favorable lymphoma entity as evidenced by a more rapid lymph node enlargement, by a higher incidence of constitutional symptoms and of marked anaemia, and by a higher percentage of patients requiring early treatment. In addition, in IC autoimmune haemolytic anaemia was detected in 11.2% of investigated patients as compared to none of the patients with CLL, and monoclonal gammopathy was disclosed in 34.2% of investigated patients as compared to only three patients with CLL who could be, however, unrecognized cases of IC. Actuarial survival data after a follow-up period of 40 months are in favor of an overall better prognosis of patients with CLL than of patients with IC.

Clinical and prognostic heterogeneity of non-Hodgkin lymphomas of high-grade malignancy.

Comparison of clinical data of 64 patients with centroblastic lymphoma, 55 patients with immunoblastic lymphoma and 31 patients with lymphoblastic lymphoma not only confirmed the original assumption of high-grade malignancy as proposed by the concept of the Kiel classification but also demonstrated distinct clinical differences, particularly between lymphoblastic lymphoma and the two other entities. Rapid lymph node enlargement as well as steep fall of survival curves within the first year after diagnosis were common characteristics. Bimodal age distribution, predominance of males and early generalization of disease were typical features of lymphoblastic lymphoma; elderly patients and patients with the unclassified subtypes of lymphoblastic lymphoma exhibited the worst prognosis. Whereas patients with centroblastic and immunoblastic lymphomas showed similar distribution of age, sex and initial stage of disease, patients with immunoblastic lymphoma presented more frequently with a reduced performance status and showed a poorer response to radio- and chemotherapy resulting in a worse prognosis discernible after the first year of follow-up. Generalization during course of the disease was significantly more frequent in immunoblastic than in centroblastic lymphoma.

Bone marrow cell scene segmentation by computer-aided color cytophotometry.

Computer scene segmentation of touching cell images in bone marrow, on the basis of color information, is achieved using digitized scans at three different wavelengths of light. With trivariate histograms and Euler's coordinate transformation, it is possible cytophotometrically to isolate, on the basis of chromatic differences, individual heterogeneous cells located in cell groups. The ability of the described computer methods to isolate correctly the touching cell images is determined by visual comparison of the cells as seen in the microscope and the computer-generated displays of the scanned and segmented scenes.