ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKAEMIA: CORRELATION OF CELL ‘MEMBRANE MARKERS’ WITH CLINICAL FEATURES AND WITH PROGNOSIS

Samples of blood and marrow from 94 newly diagnosed children with ALL were investigated for the presence of cell ‘membrane markers’. Four types of ALL were recognised: Group I (75%) common ALL (anti ALL+, Greaves et al. 1977), Group II (12%) T cell, Group III (2%) B cell, Group IV (11%) ‘null’ cell. The white cell count at diagnosis was >20×109/1 in 36% of children in Group I but in over 90% of children in the other groups. Massive mediastinal enlargement was a feature of Group II (9/11 patients) and Group IV (4/10,patients). Remission induction was easier in Groups I and II, than III or IV.Preliminary follow up shows that the initial white cell count influences prognosis in common ALL (Group I) but that children in Group I with a high white cell count have a relatively better prognosis (median complete remission 86 weeks) than children in Group II (median complete remission duration 30 weeks).ReferenceM F Greaves et al., 1977. Membrane phenotyping: diagnosis, monitoring and classification of acute ‘lymphoid’ leukaemia in Immunodiagnosis of Leukaemias and Lymphomas. Verlag Munich, 1977.