Expression of CD15 as predictor of relapse in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia of the pre-B type.
Pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was diagnosed in 37 children morphologically, histochemically, and by immunophenotyping by flow cytometry. In all patients the leukemic blasts expressed HLA-DR and CD19 (Leu-12). In 10 patients 20% or more of the blast cells expressed a myeloid antigen: CD15 (Leu-M1) in seven, CD33 (My9) in two and CD13 (My7) in one patient. All 37 children achieved complete remission, but eight relapsed. Relapse occurred in six of seven patients with CD15-positive blasts, but in only two of 27 patients with CD15-negative blasts (p = 0.0003). Thus, the occurrence of CD15 on the blasts of children with pre-B ALL shows a remarkable association with a high risk of relapse, and these patients should therefore be considered to belong to the high-risk group regardless of other prognostic factors.
Department of Immunology, National Bacteriological Laboratory, Stockholm, Sweden.
R
R
Lenkei
O
O
Björk
A
A
Ost
P
P
Biberfeld
D000293:Adolescent; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism*; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000378:metabolism*; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000378:metabolism*; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016256:Lewis X Antigen; D008297:Male; D015260:Neprilysin; D015452:Precursor B-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis
D015703:Antigens, CD; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D016256:Lewis X Antigen; D015260:Neprilysin