[Expression and clinical significance of lymphoid differentiation antigens in acute myeloid leukemia]

The present study was aimed to elucidate the expression features of lymphoid differentiation antigens and their clinical implications in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Immunophenotypes were examined by indirect immunofluorescence method with monoclonal antibodies (McAb) in 62 patients with AML. The results showed that 11 cases of AML were found to express lymphoid differentiation antigen Ly(+)AML in addition to myeloid antigen expression. There was no significant difference in clinical manifestation and blood test between the groups of Ly(+)AML and Ly(-)AML when they were newly diagnosed. Only one case gained long-term remission using standard chemotherapy. It is concluded that Ly(+)AML cells seem to be not sensitive to conventional chemotherapy, however, a treatment protocol for both ALL and AML can improve the curative effects. The overexpression of CD34(+) may be responsible for the relatively low level of long term survival rate in Ly(+)AML patients.