All issues > Volume 42(3); 1999

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1999;42(3):374-382. Published online March 15, 1999.

Clinical Significance of CD7 Expression in Acute Myelocytic Leukemia

Gye Jin GJ Yoon¹, Pill Sang PS Jang¹, Young Y Choi¹, Jun A JA Lee¹, Hyo Jung HJ Han¹, Hyoung Soo HS Choi¹, Hee Young HY Shin¹, Joong Gon JG Kim¹, Hyo Seop HS Ahn¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

Purpose
: It has been shown that a considerable number of acute myeloid leukemia(AML) patients had both myeloid and lymphoid antigens. CD7 is a lymphoid antigen, often expressed in AML cells. We investigated 40 AML patients to clarify the relationship between the cellular characteristics and clinical features.
Methods
: We reviewed 8 CD7 positive(CD7＋) AML patients and 32 CD7 negative(CD7－) AML patients as a control group. They were diagnosed at Seoul National University Children's Hospital from Jan, 1993 to March, 1997. We analyzed the medical records retrospectively.
Results
: The median age was 3 years in the CD7＋ group and 7 years in the CD7－group. There were no significant differences in sex ratio, WBC counts, hepatomegaly, or CNS invasion of leukemic cells between the two groups. There was frequent expression of HLA-DR in the CD7＋ group(P<0.05). No particular karyotypic abnormality existed in the CD7＋ group. Complete remission was achieved in 42.9% of the CD7＋ group and in 56% of the CD7－ group, while the 2-year survival rate was 44.4±22.2% in the CD7＋ group and 54.9±10.8% in the CD7－ group. There was no significant difference in either remission rate or survival rate between the two groups.
Conclusion
: Although the CD7＋ group showed slightly lower complete remission and survival rates than the CD7－ group, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. Further studies are required to determine the prognostic significance of CD7＋ acute myeloid leukemia.

Keywords :Acute myeloid leukemia, Immunophenotype, CD7, Prognostic significance