Neurone-specific enolase as a prognostic marker in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

ABSTRACT

To test its diagnostic potential and sensitivity in pediatric malignancy, serum levels of neuron enolase [NSE] were measured by radioimunassay in thirty-one patients [18 male and 13 female] with acute lymphoblastic leukemia [ALL], and in thirty eight healthy children acting as controls with the same age match [1-12 years]. Of these patients, 96% had NSE levels more than three standard deviations> 10 micro g/L above the mean or normal children. Mean serum NES for acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients was 67.8 +/- SD 67.4 micro g/L [ranged 13-260 ug/L], whereas that in normal age-matched children was 4.5 +/- Sd 2.1 g/L [ranged 2.1-9.5 micro g/L]. Analysis of NES level in relation to the survival rate suggested that serum level greater than 100 ug/L were associated with poor outcome, and that serum NES levels may be a valuable tumor marker for screening and therapeutic monitoring of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in term of decreasing or intensifying the treatment to achieve remission