The uptake and utilization of chlorambucil by lymphocytes from patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

It has been shown that lymphocytes isolated from the peripheral blood of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia do not modify the mustard group of chlorambucil, as has been demonstrated previously in Yoshida ascites cells. However, lymphocytes from patients with an unsatisfactory clinical course or poor response to treatment were able to modify the aromatic region of the drug molecule; little change occurred in the aromatic absorption of intracellular chlorambucil in patients who responded to treatment. This simple test may provide a rapid assessment of a patient's potential response to chemotherapy.