IMMUNOLOGICAL PHENOTYPE AND PROLIFERATIVE ACTIVITY OF TUMOR LYMPHOCYTES IN MULTIPLE-MYELOMA

An immunological phenotype of blood lymphocytes and proliferative acti vity of tumor cells were studied using a panel of monoclonal antibodie s to lymphocyte differential antigens and tracer H-3-thymidine, respec tively, in 84 patients with multiple myeloma. CD-19 and CD38 antigens were identified as markers for circulating tumor lymphocytes. The coun t of CD38+ and CD71+lymphocytes correlated with the count of marrow pl asmocytes including H-3-thymidine in the disease recurrence. Prolifera tive parameters of blood lymphocytes, plasmocytes and lymphocytes of t he bone marrow were identical being, consequently, elements of the sam e tumor clone.