Immunophenotyping of acute leukemia at King Faisal specialist hospital and research centre

ABSTRACT

During a 20 month period, 133 bone marrow samples from an equal number of patients with acute leukemia were immunophenotyped. Patients ranged in age from two to 68 years with a mean of 23 years. Eighty-four [63.2%] were classified as acute lymphocytic leukemia [ALL] with the following immunologic subclassification common ALL 83.3%, T-cell ALL 11.9%, null-cell ALL 2.4% and 2.4% differentiated B-cell ALL. Twenty-eight cases [21%] were classified as acute myeloid leukemia [AML] and 16 cases [12%] demonstrated biphenotypic features. Concordance with morphology and cytochemistry was observed in 129 cases [97%]. Four cases [3%] manifested discrepancy between immunophenotyping, morphology and cytochemistry. We conclude that immunophenotyping by flow cytometry is a useful and reliable method for classification of acute leukemia, especially when interpreted in the light of morphology and cytochemistry