title: The prognostic value of CD38 expression in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia patients studied prospectively at diagnosis: a single institute experience.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to assess in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) patients the prevalence and clinical impact of CD38 expression, evaluated prospectively at disease presentation, and to verify whether this parameter changes over time. In 242 consecutive and untreated CLL patients, the percentage of CD38+ cases, according to the 7%, 20% and 30% cut-off points, was 21%, 17% and 14%, respectively. Using the 7% threshold, CD38 positivity correlated with male sex, intermediate and high-risk (Rai I-IV) disease, lower Hb and platelet levels, and higher lymphocyte count. Furthermore, patients with a CD38 expression>or=7% showed a significantly lower 3-year probability of treatment-free survival (TFS) than CD38- patients (P<0.0001). At multivariate analysis, CD38 expression remained significantly associated to TFS, together with stage, lymphocyte count and morphology. Also, in the 146 patients with stage 0 CLL a CD38 expression>or=7% identified a subgroup of patients with a significantly lower 3-year probability of TFS (P=0.0005). Furthermore, this parameter did not change in 30 of 31 (97%) re-evaluated patients. In conclusion, this study indicates that, when tested at diagnosis and on fresh material, a CD38 expression>or=7% is an important parameter for the identification of early CLL patients with more aggressive disease and that its expression remains stable over time.
authors.affiliation: Division of Haematology, Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Cellulari ed Ematologia, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy. massimogentile@virgilio.it
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gentile
authors.forename: Francesca Romana
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Mauro
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Calabrese
authors.forename: Maria Stefania
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: De Propris
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Giammartini
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.forename: Maria Laura
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Milani
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guarini
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Foà
mesh_terms: D036541:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase / Q000097:blood*; D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010976:Platelet Count; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D006454:Hemoglobins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D036541:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase; C498154:CD38 protein, human; D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1