Increased absolute number of CD8⁺CD45RA⁺CD27^- cytotoxic T cells in B-CLL. Distribution of different T-cell subsets within CD8⁺ cells is shown. Absolute numbers of CD8⁺ cytotoxic cells (open symbols) are significantly increased in all Rai stages of B-CLL (squares) when compared with healthy controls (circles) (Rai 0 ^*P = .0011; Rai I-II ^**P = .0027; Rai III-IV ^***P = .0076), whereas numbers of CD8⁺ naive cells (filled symbols) were similar. Numbers represent mean ± SD of cells analyzed by 3-color immunostaining gated as described in Figure 1.