Combined T and B cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Br Med J. 1974 Oct 12;4(5936):79-82. doi: 10.1136/bmj.4.5936.79.

Abstract

A case of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in a 17-year-old male is described. The patient had many distinctive features including a very high blast cell count, prominent lymphadenopathy and hepatosplenomegaly, thymic mass, and a fulminant clinical course. Immunological studies on the blast cells using a variety of techniques showed the presence of two distinct subpopulations, one having the surface characteristics of thymus-dependent (T) lymphoid cells and the other those of bursa-equivalent (B) lymphoid cells. The case therefore represents the first example of a combined T and B cell acute leukaemia.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Allopurinol / therapeutic use
  • Animals
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Blood Cell Count
  • Calcium / blood
  • Coombs Test
  • Erythrocytes
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Hepatomegaly / complications
  • Humans
  • Immune Adherence Reaction
  • Leukemia, Lymphoid / drug therapy
  • Leukemia, Lymphoid / immunology*
  • Male
  • Prednisone / therapeutic use
  • Sheep
  • Splenomegaly / complications
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Thymus Gland / physiopathology
  • Vincristine / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Vincristine
  • Allopurinol
  • Calcium
  • Prednisone