Peripheral Leukocyte Kinetic Studies of Acute Leukemia in Relapse and Remission and Chronic Myelocytic Leukemia in Blastic Crisis

Peripheral blood leukocyte dynamics were investigated in a group of patients with acute leukemia both in relapse and remission and in chronic granulocytic leukemia in blastic crisis. In acute leukemia in relapse and in chronic granulocytic leukemia in blastic crisis, labeled blast cells appeared promptly with a peak at one to two days. Secondary peaks occurred 40-70 hours following the first peaks with labeled blasts usually the predominant labeled cell in both peaks. The time interval between these successive waves of labeled blasts could represent a generation time. The leukocyte specific activity patterns obtained in patients in blastic crisis resembled some of the patterns of patients with acute leukemia.

The leukocyte kinetic patterns in patients with acute leukemia considered to be in complete remission were usually normal. However, in some patients in bone marrow remission only, an abnormal early peak was present usually composed of labeled abnormal cells released early into the peripheral circulation. In the presence of a known leukemic infiltrate, alteration of the normal leukocyte kinetic curve apparently depended upon release of these leukemic cells into the circulating blood.