The clinical importance of myeloid antigen coexpression and TEL-AML1 mutation in patients with childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Objective: In this study, we aim to investigate the relationship,if any, between clinical features, prognosis, and thecoexpressions and TEL-AML1 mutation in patients withacute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).Methods: Eigthy-three patients with acute lymphoblasticleukemia were retrospectively examined. Age, gender,White blood cell count, hemoglobin level, platelet count,ALL subtypei (B or T ALL), risk groups, surface antigensdeteceted by flow cytometry, existence of TEL-AML1 mutations,response, remission and relapse status at 8., 15.ve 33. Days of treatment were recorded and analyzed.Results: 15 (18%) out of 83 were identified with aberrantantigen expression. Of these patients, twelve (14.4%)had myeloid antigen coexpression (CD13 and/or CD33),two with B cell ALL had CD2 and CD7 coexpressions respectively,one with T cell ALL had CD19 coexpression.No significant differences were found between patientswith and without myeloid antigen coexpression in terms ofhemoglobin levels, white blood cells and platelet counts,responses given on the 8th, 15th, and 30th days on the treatment,risk groups, and relapse (p>0.05). Myeloid antigencoexpression was found in 4 of 13 patients who were identifiedwith TEL-AML1 mutation. No significant relationshipwas found between this mutation and coexpressions. Norelapse and exitus were observed in four patients with coexpressionand TEL-AML1.Conclusion: The prognosis and clinical features showsno statistically significant relationship with the presence ofneither Myeloid antigen expression nor TEL-AML1 mutation.We believe, however, the future studies involving biggersample sizes will prove to be useful in terms of moreconvincing results. J Clin Exp Invest 2013; 4(1): 90-94Key words: Acute lenfoblastic leukemia, coexpression,TEL-AML1 mutation, prognosis