This text, by Drs. Durant and Smalley, is an effort to summarize present knowledge in the areas of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and to review research efforts in each. Although space is allotted for a discussion of treatment, little new information is offered. One would assume a lack of new data exists, because it has been difficult to show that anything beyond good general medical treatment improves survival.
Durant first provides an introductory survey of delayed hypersensitivity, immunoglobulin structure and function, and the origin, function, and kinetics of the normal lymphocyte. A comparative sketch follows that presents the leukemic lymphocyte as a long-lived cell with impaired immune reactivity. There is a short discussion of the lack of cytogenetic value in this disease and the increased susceptibility to irradiation of the leukemic cell. The concept of this entity as a β-cell abnormality is not developed. The