title: Acute megakaryoblastic leukemia in children identified by immunological marker studies.
abstract: Acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (AMkL), defined by the presence of the platelet-associated glycoprotein IIb/IIIa complex on malignant cells, was diagnosed in 4 (4%) of 103 consecutive children with untreated acute leukemia or 4 (21%) of 19 children with acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL). Particular features in the four children with AMkL were an age below 12 months at diagnosis (two patients), the absence of a significant hepatosplenomegaly (three patients), a leukocyte count below 20 x 10(9)/L with only a few blast cells in the peripheral blood (four patients), a technically difficult bone marrow aspiration (three patients), the presence of many megakaryocytes in marrow particles (two patients), and an inconclusive cytochemistry (four patients). The four children with AMkL were treated according to protocols for ANLL and a complete remission was obtained in all patients. One patient died from relapse after 3 months, one patient is a long-term survivor (38+ months), and two patients still on chemotherapy are disease-free for 11+ and 13+ months.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics (Inselspital), University of Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hirt
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Luethy
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mueller
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gugler
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Wagner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001856:Bone Marrow Examination; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007223:Infant; D007947:Leukemia, Megakaryoblastic, Acute / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D010980:Platelet Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis*; D012074:Remission Induction
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000944:Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D010980:Platelet Membrane Glycoproteins