FOLLOW-UP OF 18 PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC MYELOMONOCYTIC LEUKEMIA

Data relative to 18 patients classified as chronic myelomonocytic leuk emia (CMML) according to FAB criteria are received. Eleven males and s even females, aged between 48 and 80 years were studied. The male/fema le ratio was 2.5:1 and the median age was 62 years. Their clinical and laboratory data, prognostic factors, treatment and clinical course ar e described. Anemia and increased number of monocytes were found in al l patients. Splenomegaly was present in 8, leukocytosis in 15 and thro mbocytopenia in 13 patients. Polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia was det ected in 13 patients and increased levels of beta-2 microglobulin in 1 0 patients. Treatment was usually palliative. The administration of hy droxyurea decreased the number of leukocytes and the size of the splee n in some patients but did not improve the survival time. The median s urvival was 10 months and a blastic transformation caused death in fiv e patients. Splenomegaly, thrombocytopenia, leukocytosis and increased levels of beta-2 microglobulin (beta-2M), determined as significant p oor prognostic indicators, increased percentages of blasts in bone mar row were the most important statistical prognostic factors.