PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF MYELOID ANTIGEN EXPRESSION IN ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA

Expression of cell surface molecules associated with lymphoid and myeloid lineage differentiation on the blasts of 53 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was investigated. 1.9% of cases were only HLA"7DR+ 7.6% were HLA-DR+, CDI9+ 22.6% were HLA-DR+, CDI9+, CDI0+ 30.2% were HLADR+, CDI9+, CDlO±, CD20+ and 37.7% were HLA-DR±, CD7+, CD5±. Aberrant expression of one or more myeloid antigens including CDI3, CDI5, CD33 and CD34 was found in 30.2% of cases. The relationship of myeloid positive (MY+ ALL) and negative cases (MY- ALL) with patient characteristics were studied. No significant differences in clinical features, response to therapy or survival was found between the two groups. Study of each marker separately indicated an association between expression of CD5 and CD 1 0 with age and expression of CD20 and CD33 with decrease in hemoglobin (p<0.03). No correlation between expression of markers and survival was found except for CD 13 and CD 15 antigens (p<0.03). CDI5+ cases showed longer survival than negative cases (541±72 vs. 364±34 days) whereas CDI3+ cases showed shorter survival than negative ones (378±32 vs. 616±,106). showed a trend towards a longer or shorter survival.