Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia - The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

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Graft-Versus-Tumor Effect (Graft-Versus-Leukemia Effect). The potential immune reaction of transplanted (donor) T lymphocytes to recognize and attack the malignant cells of the recipient. This effect was noted when 1) disease recurrence after transplant was seen to be more likely if the donor and recipient were identical twins than if they were nonidentical siblings; 2) disease recurrence was less likely the more pronounced the graft-versus-host disease was; and 3) the removal of donor T lymphocytes decreased the incidence of graft-versushost disease (GVHD) but also resulted in a higher frequency of disease relapse. Each of these observations could be explained best as an immune attack by donor lymphocytes against recipient tumor cells that, along with the intensive conditioning treatment, serve to keep the disease in check. This effect seems to be most active in types of myeloid leukemia, although it may also occur in patients with other blood cancers. Granulocyte. A type of white cell that has a large number of granules in the cell body. Neutrophils, eosinophils and basophils are types of granulocytes. Growth Factor. A chemical used to stimulate the production of neutrophils and shorten the period of low neutrophil counts in the blood after chemotherapy. Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) are examples of growth factors that are made commercially. GM-CSF can also stimulate monocytes. Hemapheresis. See Apheresis. Hematologist. A doctor who specializes in the treatment of blood cell diseases. This person is either an internist who treats adults or a pediatrician who treats children. Hematopathologist. See Pathologist. Hematopoiesis. The process of blood cell development in the marrow. The most undeveloped cells in the marrow are stem cells. They start the process of blood cell development. The stem cells begin to develop into young or immature blood cells, such as red cells or various types of white cells. This process is called “differentiation.” The young or immature blood cells then further develop into fully functional blood cells. This process is called “maturation.” The mature cells leave the marrow, enter the blood and circulate throughout the body. Hematopoiesis is a continuous process that is active normally throughout life. The reason for this activity is that most blood cells live for short periods and must be replaced continuously. Red cells live for months, platelets live for a week or two and white cells live for a few days. About 500 billion blood cells are made each day. When the marrow is invaded with cancer cells, the constant demand for new blood cells cannot be met, resulting in a severe deficiency in blood cell counts. page 34 I 800.955.4572 I www.LLS.org
HLA. The abbreviation for “human leukocyte-associated antigen(s).” These antigens are proteins on the surface of most tissue cells, and they give an individual his or her unique tissue type. HLA factors are inherited from mother and father, and the greatest chance of having the same HLA type is between siblings. On average, one in four siblings is expected to share the same HLA type. The testing for HLA factors is referred to as “tissue typing.” There are six major groups of HLA: A, B, C, D, Dr, and Dq. These proteins on the cell surface act as antigens when donated (transplanted) to another individual, the recipient. If the antigens on the donor cells are identical (as in identical twins) or very similar (as in HLA-matched siblings), the transplant (donated stem cells) is more likely to survive (engraft) in the recipient. In addition, the recipient’s body cells are less likely to be attacked by the donated immune cells (a result called “graft-versus-host disease”). Immunoglobulin Heavy Chain Variable Region (IgHv) Gene Status. A marker that can distinguish between CLL subtypes (unmutated IgHv and mutated IgHv). People with CLL with unmutated IgHv gene status may have a more progressive form of the disease. Immunophenotyping. A method that uses the reaction of antibodies with cell antigens to determine a specific type of cell in a sample of blood cells, marrow cells or lymph node cells. The antibodies react with specific antigens on the cell. A tag is attached to an antibody so that it can be detected. The tag can be identified by the laboratory equipment used for the test. As cells carrying their array of antigens are tagged with specific antibodies, they can be identified. Indwelling Catheter. See Central Line. Karyotype. The systematic arrangement, using images, of the 46 chromosomes in the human cell in 22 matched pairs (maternal and paternal member of each pair) by length from longest to shortest and other features, with the sex chromosomes shown as a separate pair (either XX or XY). These 22 pairs are referred to as “autosomes.” See Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization. Leukocytes. See White Cells. Leukopenia. A decrease below normal in the concentration of blood leukocytes (white cells). Lymphadenopathy. Enlargement of lymph nodes. Lymphatic System. The system comprising the lymph nodes, the thymus gland (in the first several decades of life), the lymphatic channels, the lymphatic tissue of the marrow, the gastrointestinal tract, the skin and the spleen, along with the T, B and Natural Killer (NK) lymphocytes contained in those sites. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia I page 35
Page 1 and 2: Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia JUNE D
Page 3 and 4: Table of Contents 2 Introduction 2
Page 5 and 6: along with a cancer diagnosis. LLS
Page 7 and 8: We’d Like to Hear From You. We ho
Page 9 and 10: etween herbicides used in Vietnam a
Page 11 and 12: infrequently, cause an increase in
Page 13 and 14: Chromosomal Changes. Certain chromo
Page 15 and 16: Treatment Current therapies do not
Page 17 and 18: Chemotherapy. Chlorambucil (Leukera
Page 19 and 20: Table 3. Some Drugs Used to Treat C
Page 21 and 22: Prolymphocytes. About 15 percent of
Page 23 and 24: Kinase Inhibitor Therapy. Kinases a
Page 25 and 26: The National Cancer Institute-spons
Page 27 and 28: Table 5. CLL and Related Diseases L
Page 29 and 30: { { The neutrophils and monocytes a
Page 31 and 32: Medical Terms Allogeneic Stem Cell
Page 33 and 34: Bone Marrow Biopsy. A test to exami
Page 35: e counted. One use of flow cytometr
Page 39 and 40: egg or the sperm and can be transmi
Page 41 and 42: Promyelocyte. A cell that is formed
Page 43 and 44: More Information Free LLS publicati
Page 45 and 46: Notes Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Page 47 and 48: REACH OUT TO OUR INFORMATION SPECIA

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia - The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

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