Chronic granulocytic leukemia : early detection of metamorphosis with "in vitro" culture of granulocytic progenitors.

The study of bone marrow granulocytic precursors (GM CFU-C) has been made in patients with a chronic granulocytic leukemia (CGL), at diagnosis and during the evolution. In vitro growth was increased with a normal clusters/colonies ratio in 17 patients, 2 have presented a metamorphosis. In vitro growth was abnormal in 30 patients, 22 have presented a metamorphosis with a median of 9 months after the in vitro study. The in vitro growth of GM CFU-C in CGL patients could detect the metamorphosis.