Immunophenotypic, Cytogenetic and Clinical Features in Chinese Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) Patients

<p><b>INTRODUCTION</b>This study sought to investigate the immunophenotypic subtype profiles of 110 Chinese adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) and its association to cytogenetics and the clinical features.</p><p><b>MATERIALS AND METHODS</b>A total of 110 adult patients with ALL were immunophenotyped by CD45/SSC double parameters and 4 colour flow cytometry. Seventy-three cases were also subjected to karyotype analysis by R-banding technology. The clinical and laboratory data of 110 ALL patients were retrospectively analysed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of all the patients, 21.8% were identified as T-ALL, 78.2% as B-ALL. Abnormal karyotypes were detected in 37 out of 73 (50.7%) cases and the most common cytogenetic abnormality was the Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome, which was found in 23.3% (17/73) of the cases. Myeloid antigen (MyAg) expression was documented in 47.3% of the 110 adult ALL cases analysed and CD13 was the most commonly expressed MyAg in ALL patients (32.1 %). No difference was observed in the expression of MyAg between the groups of patients with T-ALL (45.8%) and B-ALL (47.7%). Our data showed that older age, higher CD34 positivity and lower proportion of patients with splenomegaly were found to be correlated with MyAg+ ALL, and that patients with Ph+ B-ALL were older, presented with higher haemoglobin level and higher CD34 expression. No statistical difference was noted in complete remission (CR) rate, relapse rate, induction mortality or total death rate among My+ and My-, Ph+ and Ph-, or B-ALL and T-ALL patients.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Our results indicate that the distribution of ALL in Chinese adult patients was similar with the general distribution pattern in the other countries, and the expression of MyAg in patients with T-ALL and B-ALL was comparable. Both the expression of MyAg and the presence of Ph chromosome in adult ALL were significantly associated with median age and CD34 expression while not with the response to induction treatment.</p>

Immunophenotypic, cytogenetic and clinical features of 113 acute lymphoblastic leukaemia patients in China

<p><b>INTRODUCTION</b>The analysis of immunophenotype of the leukaemic cells has been of great importance for the diagnosis, classification and prognosis of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).</p><p><b>MATERIALS AND METHODS</b>One hundred and thirteen Chinese patients with ALL were immunophenotyped by fl ow cytometry and 74 cases were also subjected to karyotype analysis by G-banding technology.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the 113 Chinese ALL patients, 14.2% were identified as T-ALL and 85.8% as B-ALL. Myeloid antigen (MyAg) expression was documented in 34.9% of the cases analysed and CD13 was most commonly expressed MyAg in ALL patients (23.6%). MyAg positivity was higher in adult with ALL (47.6%) than in children with ALL (26.6%). Abnormal karyotypes were detected in 39 out of 74 (52.7%) cases. The clinical and biological characteristics of ALL patients between MyAg+ and MyAg- groups showed that increased white blood count (WBC) (>50 x 109/L), higher CD34 positivity and higher percentage of adult patients were found to be correlated with MyAg+ ALL.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Our results indicate that the immunophenotype did have relevance to the abnormal cytogenetic changes and clinical features in ALL. Flow cytometry immunophenotype has become the most important method for diagnosis and typing of ALL.</p>