Effects of Prednisolone in 6 Cases of Glucocorticoid Receptor-Positive CLL

Abstract

The effect of treatment with prednisolone on clinical and laboratory variables was studied in 6 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The laboratory variables analyzed on the leukemic cells were surface immunoglobulin (S-Ig), sheep red blood cell receptors (SRBC), proliferative activity (PI) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR). In all cases the CLL was of B[bone marrow-derived]-cell type and the leukemic cells contained a significant amount of GR. Of 6 patients, 4 had a progressive disease with increased PI. On treatment they went into clinical remission, which was paralleled by a reduction in the leukemic B-cell number and in PI. The amount of GR was unaffected. In 2 patients with nonprogressive disease, prednisolone produced no clearcut effect on clinical or laboratory variables.