Chronic lymphatic leukaemia

Fig. 38.10 Chronic lymphatic leukaemia dense portal lymphoid cell infiltration (HE)...

Hypogamma-globulinemia Chronic lymphatic leukaemia, multiple myeloma... 

A rare group of diseases in which there is ar excess production of a protein which can be identified as part of the heavy chain of the immunoglobulin molecule. A paraprotein can be found in the blood in many of these cases. Five types of disease are theoretically possible but only three have been reported. Heavy chains of the 7 type are produced in a generalized lymphoma (Franklin s disease). Heavy chains of the type are produced in a chronic lymphatic leukaemia, while heavy chains of the a type are found in an intestinal lymphoma. 

This alkylating agent acts on the haemo-poietic system, and particularly pronounced on the lymphoid series. It has been found to be effective in chronic lymphatic leukaemia, the non-Hodgkin lymphomas, Hodgkin s disease and in macroglobulinaemia. On the whole toxicity is slight, gastrointestinal intolerance is relatively uncommon and bone marrow depression is a late unavoidable complication. 

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