Immunoglobulin phenotype in 164 B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemias: is there a relationship with initial clinical stage and survival?

In 164 B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemias, surface membrane immunoglobulin (SmIg) phenotype has been determined on lymphocytes from 158 patients (mean age = 66 years, sex ratio = 1.43) to examine the prognostic significance of cell marker phenotype. Correlation of clinical stages of the disease according to Rai and Binet and SmIg phenotype emphasized the absence of the SmIgG phenotype, suggesting more mature cells, at stage C according to Binet (11 of 13 being stage A) and at stage III or IV according to Rai. The majority of SmIg phenotypes was SmIgM +/- D. Survival curves according to SmIg heavy or light chain phenotypes did not emphasize a prognostic significance of cell marker phenotype. Peripheral lymphocytosis over 50,000/microliter correlated with a worse prognosis regardless of clinical staging and SmIg phenotype.