Cytoenzymochemical changes in acute leukemia cells under cytostatic treatment.

Cytomorphologic and cytoenzymochemical changes occurring in leukemic blastic cells of bone marrow and peripheral blood were studied concomitantly in 180 cases of acute leukemia treated with one or more cytostatics, in various association related to the main cytologic type. Cellular effects due to monochemotherapy in various types of acute leukemia varied depending on the cytostatic dose, duration of treatment, and sensitivity of blastic cells to the cytostat. The expression of cellular sensitivity was marked by megaloblastosis of myeloid elements, cell gigantism and intranuclear and cytoplasmic vacuolization. Resistance to cytostatics was demonstrated both by the morphologic aspect of blastic cells which remained unchanged and by their overloading with glycogen, lipids and peroxidases. The relationships between posttherapeutic cellular changes and clinical parameters are discussed.