The mechanical resistance of white blood cells in lymphosarcoma, reticulosarcoma and malignant lymphogranuloma

The Authors have studied the behaviour of the mechanical resistance of white cells in 41 patients suffering from connective neoplasms (malignant lymphogranuloma, lymphosarcoma, reticulosarcoma) with localization in various sites. The results obtained show that in the above mentioned diseases the mononucleates (lymphocytes and monocytes) have a mechanical resistance different from the normal: in fact, in lymphosarcoma and lymphogranuloma without splenomegalia mononucleates are more resistant, while in reticulosarcoma and lymphogranuloma with splenomegalia they are less resistant than the norm. These findings, which can be regarded as a useful aid to differential diagnosis, confirm about mononucleates what had already been pointed out by the same Authors about the osmotic resistance of granulocytes in the same diseases, and allow to come to the conclusion, important chiefly from a biological point of view, that the functional capacity of white blood cells may be altered even when every other haematologic examination results normal.