CHRONIC LYMPHOCYTIC-LEUKEMIA WITH BINUCLEATED LYMPHOCYTES

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is a monoclonal proliferation usua lly involving B cells and composed of mature lymphoid cells. Distinct morphologic subtypes have been recognized according to lymphocyte size , nuclear:cytoplastic ratio and nucleolus. However the presence of cha racteristically binucleated lymphocytes in patients fulfilling criteri a for CLL diagnosis has never been described. We here report immunolog ical and cytogenetic studies of four patients with CLL but with binucl eated lymphocytes. Moreover, trisomy 12, known to be associated with a typical morphology in CLL, was detected in two of these four patients. We suggest that this be considered as a possible new entity.