CD7 expression predicts poor disease free survival and post-remission survival in patients with acute myeloid leukemia and normal karyotype.
AML patients with normal karyotype comprise the largest subgroup ( approximately 50%) but have a highly heterogeneous clinical course. By multi-parameter flow cytometry we analyzed CD7 expression along with other phenotypic markers in 185 patients with normal-karyotype AML. CD7 was expressed in 68 (37%) patients. CD7 expression was associated with younger age (P=0.024) but not with sex, WBC count, or extramedullary disease. Patients expressing CD7 had significant shorter disease free (DFS) and post-remission survivals (PRS) than patients without CD7 (DFS of 12 months versus 42 months, P=0.005; PRS of 15 months versus 33 months, P=0.013). We also found that expression of CD34 or HLA-DR was associated with lower CR rate (P=0.0007 and P=0.019, respectively) but did not affect DFS or OS. Furthermore, as for all AML patients, we demonstrated that in the normal karyotypic subgroup, patients with higher WBC counts (>50) and older age (>60 years) had lower CR rate (P=0.003 and P=0.0157, respectively) and shorter OS (P</=0.001 and P=0.007, respectively). Multivariate analysis of age, WBC, CD34, HLA-DR and CD7 showed that CD7 expression was an independent risk factor for DFS (P=0.01) and PRS (P=0.02).
Chang
Hong
H
Department of Laboratory Hematology, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, 610 University Avenue, 4-320, Toronto, Ont., Canada M5G 2M9. hong.chang@uhn.on.ca
Yeung
Joanna
J
Brandwein
Joseph
J
Yi
Qi-Long
QL
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019011:Antigens, CD7 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods; D015973:Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007621:Karyotyping; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012074:Remission Induction; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D019011:Antigens, CD7