Resumo

HERNANDEZ RAMIREZ, Porfirio. Chronic lymphoid leukemia. Diagnosis and prognostic factors. Rev Cubana Hematol Inmunol Hemoter [online]. 2003, vol.19, n.2-3. ISSN 0864-0289.

The diagnosis of chronic lymphoid leukemia depends mainly on the verification of lymphocytosis in blood. For its diagnosis, the International Workshop on CLL recommended an absolute figure of lymphocytes of at least 10 x 109/L, whereas the National Cancer Institute - Sponsored Working Group (NCI-WG) stated a higher value of 5 x 109/L maintained for 4 weeks. According to the criteria of IW - CLL, lower figures of lymphocytes may be accepted provided that they coexist with an immunophenotypical pattern of B-lymphocytes CD5+ and infiltration of the bone marrow ³ 30 % of lymphocytes. In general, the prognostic factors may correlate themselves with at least 4 fundamental elements: the patient's characteristics, the magnitude of the neoplastic mass, the malignity of the leukemic clone and the therapeutic response. Recently, it has been demonstrated that the configuration of the genes of the variable region of the heavy strand of immunoglobulins (IgVH) allows to divide CLL in 2 subgroups: one with poor prognosis and fast progression, in which these genes are found in germinal state, and other with hypermutations in the IgVH genes, where the patients present a steadier state, a slow evolution and possibilities of longer survival

Palavras-chave : LEUKEMIA, LYMPHOCYTIC, CHRONIC [diagnosis]; PROGNOSIS; GENES, IMMUNOGLOBULIN; NEOPLASM STAGIG; B-LYMPHOCYTES.