CHRONIC NONLEUKEMIC MYELOSIS

Abstract

THE NAME chronic nonleukemic myelosis seems the most appropriate for certain conditions which have been described in hematologic literature under a wide variety of other names. The term (Mavros; Hickling; Carpenter and Flory1) is, in the main, merely descriptive, and not even particularly accurate. Other suggested names for the syndrome include chronic with anaemia and reaction of the blood (Emile-Weil and Clerc2); of the type without myelocythemia (Rathery3); myeloid megakaryocytic splenomegaly (Downey and Nordland4); with transformation (Tudhope5); hepatolienal hematopoietic endotheliosis (Lindeboom6), and agnogenic metaplasia (Jackson, Parker and Lemon; Reich and Rumsey7). All the names referred to a condition in which there may or may not be anemia, but in which there are usually primitive red and white cells in the peripheral blood, though the great increase in leukocytes characteristic of leukemia is usually absent. The spleen is enlarged, and, at